Between Two Lungs
by klcm
Summary: Morgan soon finds that Garcia isn't just perfect to him...
1. Stolen Happiness

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, depressingly, absolutely nothing is mine but the plot, now that is ALL mine! ;)**

**A/N:**_Right, new idea, taking a new twist on things here... hope you like what's about to roll out =) This worked out to be 15 chapters, which wasn't as long as I planned originally but the thing wrote itself I swear! _

_Hope you like this one guys =) _

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Derek watched his epitome of perfection waltz towards him. Her body wrapped in a purple floral dress, a pink cardigan on top, her jewellery chunky and coloured, her hair down in loose curls, a purple flower on a hair band sitting perfectly. Pure radiance exuding her entire being.

She smiled at him, her pink lips growing at just catching the sight of him before her.

"Hey Handsome, ready for our lunch date?" She asked him coolly, she knew how to keep it normal in the work place without getting Strauss' irritation of the team up anymore. "Mama's starving," she continued as she learnt down and put his pen back in the pen pot, giving Derek an eye full of her breasts, "And I don't think I mean just for food."

Derek ran a hand over his face as he felt the heat flush over him, he might have been dating her for over 6 months now but Penelope sure knew how to catch him and fluster him like there was no tomorrow.

Sitting back he had to smile, "Oh you bet I'm ready."

"Born ready right?" She asked him, using his phrase that he always used on her. She smirked seductively, and then stood up straight, pulling the skirt of her dress straight and then stood with a hand on her hip. "We're on limited time, my hunk of burning love."

"I'm ready." He stated and stood as she raised an eyebrow at him. He patted his pocket and then looked back at her, "I've got everything I need now." He said grabbing his cell and then taking Penelope's hand, "Tell Hotch we took our lunch, normal protocol."

"Call if there's a case, yeah, yeah," Emily said as she raced to finish off her file so she could go on her lunch.

"Never gets old right?" Reid commented as he got up for another cup of coffee, "Want one?"

"Please," Emily said and then sat back, feeling a headache ebbing in, "We can hardly complain, we'd hate it if we had to go for even an hour without it." She commented as she got up and followed Reid into the kitchen area, "So, how's it going in the romance department for you?"

"It's not," He answered back blankly.

Emily smirked, "Me and Pen plan to change that tonight," She told him just as his finished with her coffee and she laughed a little, "We plan to have you a little lady to parade around with by the end of the week."

"W-why?"

Emily started to walk away, "You're too good to be single." She then just slipped back down onto her chair and began working on her file again; leaving Reid completely astounded the feats the two women of the team would go to, to just help him out.

He smiled, he liked the support Penelope always offered him and the confidence Emily always helped manifest.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope sat opposite Derek, a small smile on her face as he read the menu, trying to choose what to eat and all she did was slowly run her, now shoeless, foot up his leg slowly and she watched his attention shift, first trying to remain focused on the menu, but then he gave up and looked at her.

"Whatcha having?" She asked innocently, as her foot ran back down and then slipped back into its heel, picking a breadstick out of the basket on the table.

"Well..." He started, "I was about to decide but then some little vixen caused my blood pressure to sky rocket."

Penelope smiled a she put a breadstick to the corner of her lips and then bit a bit off. Her entire expression remaining impish and innocent, but her eyes told an entirely different story. She had a little fire alive in them, the one he'd been woken up to that morning, that always burnt brightest when she was after him.

"You know you're only going to be punished for this later."

Penelope's eyes sparked then, her smile growing, "You know I don't mind Morgan issued punishments," She commented back, her head falling to the side some, "I mean it's more rewarding than punishing."

Derek chuckled, "I need to up my ante so bad with you around." He watched Penelope laugh, her entire face illuminating, "You're absolutely breath taking you know that?" He told her and he watched an all too familiar blush grace her cheek, her eyes looking down coyly and he loved that just the mere mention of her beauty still caught her like it was the very first time he'd said it. "Perfect even." He finished just as the waiter came over to take their orders.

Penelope watched the waiter leave moments later and then turned her attention to Derek, "You're so getting rewarded later," she promised and then picked her glass of wine up and drank from it slowly.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Derek was sitting in the bar, Hotch one side, Rossi the other, Reid getting drinks. No sign of Emily or Penelope yet. He was getting fidgety now; he just wanted his girl so he could see her slurp up her favourite cocktail and then let him lead her all the way to the dance floor.

He felt his cell vibrant before the ringer sounded and he grabbed it, seeing Penelope's caller ID he answered, "Hey Baby Girl, you want m-"

"Derek, it's Em, I need help." Emily said, her voice full of hurt.

"Emily?" He said sitting up straight, his instincts kicking, "Where's Penelope, Emily? Why are you on her phone?"

"I can't find my cell anywhere; hers was left on the floor." Emily responded, somewhat off key, her voice not quite it's normal sound.

"Floor?" He said getting up, shrugging his coat on and looking at his two boss men, "Where are you? Emily, where is Penelope?" He asked again, his panic magnifying, "I need to know."

"Someone took her, I tried to help, please, w-we were parking up. He came out of nowhere." Emily said and Derek could hear the sound of her moving on the gravel and her voice gathering the tears, "Someone took her, Derek."

Derek dropped the phone then, he was completely paralysed with fear as he heard those words, only earlier they were making plans, setting up how much fun they were going to have and now she was gone and he didn't know where she was.

He ignored his phone and ran for the door, he carried on running, ignorant of anyone that got in his way, Emily and Penelope needed his help.

Hotch grabbed the phone, he heard Emily tell him obviously what she had said to Derek and then he heard him get to her and by the time the other three men made it Derek was already helping Emily, her head bleeding.

"Did you see him?"

Emily shook her head, immediately regretting it as her world began to swim. "I got out, I looked up and Pen was locking the door her side, he grabbed me and threw me and then he went for her." She looked up at them, "He was too polite, like he didn't want to mark her."

"What do you mean?" Hotch said, he knew he had to get as much out of her before he got her to the hospital and all madness was released entirely.

"It was weird, I could see him after he threw me down, I wasn't quick enough and I must've lost consciousness because one moment he had his hand over her mouth and he kissed her, and what looked like he whispered something to her before he put his hand on his pocket and brought out of a cloth. It was too planned, too meticulous, it was too gentle."

"Did you see what direction he took her?"

"Towards the back of the car park," She told them and then tried to get up, "I'm sorry, I should've helped her more Derek."

Derek was silent, he knew he couldn't blame Emily but his fear of never seeing Penelope again was fuelling him, he knew he had to be rational, and he had to support Emily. "We'll get her back," He murmured as the sirens of the ambulance rang out, "we'll get you seen to and then we'll get her back."

Even he couldn't hide the doubt that was filling him in that moment.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**A/N:**_And we're thrown right in from chapter one ;) Who wants more?_


	2. Breaking Or Making Of A Man

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, depressingly, absolutely nothing is mine but the plot, now that is ALL mine! ;)**

**A/N:**_Thanks for all the reviews, alerts and favourites, I hope you guys carry on to like where this is going and like how it's going to evolve... there's only three people that really know how this ends, and me, of course ;) Enjoy! _

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Rossi watched Derek with alarming concern, getting back to the BAU with Reid and Hotch they'd started bringing in reinforcement, alerting those that needed to know and began to bring in as much information as possible.

They managed to get video footage taken from the car park, but had yet to analyse how much of it captured Penelope's kidnapping and Emily's attack. Hotch had wanted to watch after the ambulance had taken Emily to the hospital, but then he decided, he wanted to get back to the BAU and get stuck in. Get Penelope back before any harm could come to her.

"Reid, once we've watched this go to the hospital." Hotch instructed as he placed the DVD into the player, ready for them. "I know she said not to, but I'm pulling rank, Emily shouldn't be alone. I want you to stay with her until she's discharged."

"Got it," Reid said as he sat down opposite the screens, he didn't know how to feel right now, but going to help Emily felt like he had a slight connection to Penelope.

Rossi took a seat, still watching Derek, it worried him at how quiet he had become, how withdrawn he had made himself. It worried him to see someone he held close in his life become like this. "Derek do you want to go ring your mom, let her know, while we watch."

"No," He said and ran a hand over his face, "What I need is to see what the bastard looks like that took her."

Rossi knew not to press, and as he exchanged looks with Hotch, he could tell the Unit Chief was on the same wavelength. Nodding he turned his attention to the TV screens as Hotch went and pushed play.

They all watched, seeing Penelope facing the camera, Emily with her back to it, the pair talking, Penelope smiling brightly as she spoke about something, her head still dipped as she shut her door. Her head shooting up as she heard Emily get attacked. They watched Emily disappear from view before the man went to Penelope, she was frozen, completely ice cold, and by the time she had a chance to react she was trapped between the two cars, nowhere to run. They saw Penelope be grabbed by the hooded being, watched as she tried to escape his grasped but he just pulled her close, spinning her so his chest was to her back, and he kissed her neck and she whimpered in disgust. Slowly the man's head lifted, the light casting on his features a little and Penelope shook her head, evident that he had spoken to her and then she tried to get away again, but he was too strong and he held her tight with one hand while he grabbed the cloth and placed it to her mouth, after a few moments her body slumped into his grasps and then all they could was watch as Penelope was picked up gently and carried to a dark green sedan and then placed lightly into it, covered with a blanket. Then it drove off and moments later Emily stumbled into view, panic exuding her and she just slumped to the floor once she had Penelope's phone.

"He couldn't have chloroformed her much," Reid pointed out, "I mean, he must've used it to make her easy, pliable, make it so he could take her take her without much of a struggle." He saw Derek's face, felt his eyes boring into him unknowingly. "His entire behaviour there was gentle, there wasn't anything malicious, he needs her for something and hurting her isn't going to do that, it's going to ruin whatever he has planned."

"He doesn't want her marked for some reason." Rossi threw in, "We saw how he manhandled Emily, he literally threw her, but Penelope it was placid, even when he used the cloth, he barely used force and then once she was unconscious," he pointed out, "he literally carried her to the car before he placed her. There were no moves to harm her, not yet anyway."

Derek stood up, "I need some air," He said and then left them, he heard Hotch tell Reid to go to Emily and then carry on marking out ideas, he knew the best were on the case but he couldn't for the life of him help them, and in turn he failed in helping Penelope.

He near enough punched in the numbers for office into the key pad and went in. Letting the door close behind him he fell onto the couch in there and just sat in the complete darkness.

He looked around as his eyes adjusted and made out what they could. He guessed this was what his entire world would look like all the time he had no Penelope in it. This was how empty he would feel as a result of it and he knew, if that was the case, he would not survive a day knowing Penelope was never coming back to him.

It was only earlier, he took her to lunch and they joked and kissed and teased and he wondered what the hell he had done to deserve this life, this happiness, this complete wholesomeness, and now he was cursing God for destroying it completely. He hated him for taking his sanity away from him in the swipe of mere hours.

He leant forward, putting his head in his hands as his arms rested on his knees, and he let out an anguished cried, a cry so full of desperation and unlike him he never wanted to hear it again but he knew that as each minute rolled into hours, and hours turned into days he was only going to get worse.

It was at that bar earlier that night, as they danced and had fun and then went to their home that he was going to propose, he was going to worship her and then in their exhausted state, the one where he lay with her half asleep in his arms that he was going to gently whisper into the air the question that would help seal their love.

Now all he was left with was wondering if he was ever going to get that opportunity to do that after this all.

Still remaining in the darkness he called his mom, told her what had happened, broke down and listened as she vowed to get to him as soon as possible. He didn't have the strength to say no, he needed her more than ever, he couldn't deny the support and his mom needed to be kept in the loop with news on Penelope. He listened as she spoke to him sternly, as she told him if he loved Penelope he would do what was right and fight for her, everyone expected him to be weak and unreliable, so he needed to be the opposite. He needed to shine through, he had to stand up, take charge and fight to get her back.

Marching back into conference room he felt that, he felt like he knew what he was doing, even if a part of him was slowly wilting away. He could die later, for now he had to save Penelope and get her back before it was too late.

"Play it again," He said as he sat back down, he watched Hotch go to object, "Play the damn tape again, Hotch," He near enough yelled and then calmed, "I reckon we can get more from it than you think, then I think we need to get Lynch in, he's the best below Pen with computers so we need him and we need to see what other shops and buildings have cameras that could help us cut down directions he took her, and maybe get a facial picture."

Hotch and Rossi smiled, liking that Derek was proving his worth when it was easier to give up. Hotch played the footage again and they all studied it closely.

"You can see his face, we need to get this slowed down," Rossi pointed out and looked at Derek, "Did you recognise him at all?"

Derek looked at the surveillance again as Hotch rewound and then played, he looked more intently and on the fourth time it clicked, "He was at the restaurant we had lunch in earlier, Penelope said he'd been popping up randomly at places. I just told her it was probably her mind playing tricks, she thought so too, too many late nights working messing with her but now... now I wished I'd listened."

"Do not blame yourself, Morgan; this is good, we have lead already." Hotch said and grabbed the phone and dialled Kevin's cell number, "We just got to hope we can get Kevin to help."

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**A/N:**_Sorry to those that thought it was Kevin! Who wants more now?_


	3. Waking To Reality

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, depressingly, absolutely nothing is mine but the plot, now that is ALL mine! ;)**

**A/N:**_Review reply will have to wait I'm afraid, I am exhausted! BUT I really, really appreciate the reviews, the alerts and the favourites that keep coming in... they mean a lot! =) _

_Now let's get somewhere with this shall we? _

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

She woke up to a blinding light, an intensity in her head and she automatically groaned in pain and discomfort.

Penelope blinked, trying to gain focus while losing some of the pain she was in. Neither worked and as she went to move her head she realised she couldn't move.

Sheer panic and fear flooded her body and her chest became tight as her breathing began to race and she tried to gain freedom.

It was then the light above her moved, sideways first before getting closer and she closed her eyes, silencing herself immediately, praying that she was now hidden in an open place, wishing for something that would happen that would make her disappear.

Grazing a hand along her jaw line, he smiled as she opened her eyes and saw him. Penelope looked at him intently, almost pleadingly. He was a handsome man, cleanly cut, tall, broad, well built, and recognisable. Even blurrily, she could see he was smiling and then he leant in closer.

"Shh, you're okay." He soothed her, his tone deep, husky, alluring, and she knew she was in trouble, "You're here for a consultation."

Confusion took over her entire being, "Con-consultation?" She asked ambiguously, not really knowing if she wanted to know what was happening or if she'd rather be kept in the dark.

Curiosity caught her though.

"F-For what?" She stammered in fear, her stomach feeling the bile just boil.

"Shhh," He calmed her again, his smile almost dazzling as he watched over her, leaning over her, near enough chest to chest.

"Wh-what do you w-want with me?" She managed to ask, gaining stamina to keep herself clear.

"Perfection," He told her confidently and then stood up straight and walked away.

Penelope tried again to move her head, to see him, to watch him closely, "P-please," she cried out as it failed, "Come back," She called and felt the tears falling heavily as the fear grasped her stronger. "Please."

She felt her body start to shake violently as she heard metal on metal as it crashed together followed by the sound of latex gloves slapping against skin, then in the peripheral of her vision she watched the man step back, getting closer again.

"Please," She sobbed in terror, "Just let me go."

"Nothing to be scared of, little lady," He said, his accent somewhat clearer in his mind, familiar to that which she'd grown up to. "Just a little consult, I'm not gonna hurt you."

It was then Penelope felt the tug on her clothes and the sound of scissors cutting through them, proving how vulnerable she was. She closed her eyes as the air hit her bare skin and she tried her hardest to wake up from this nightmare, to be at home, or at work, somewhere safe.

She just needed to wake up.

"So pure," She heard as a hand ran up her stomach, her body convulsing at his touch, trying to get away from it, all for it to fail.

Penelope heard more cutting, more coldness roll over her body and she could feel his needing, _consulting_ eyes running over her body.

"I think I need some X-rays, some bloods..." He trailed off, evidently speaking to himself.

Penelope's eyes snapped wide open at that though, she could've been fooled that she was at a hospital, it all made sense, the bright lights, the sterile smell, the calmness of the mad man exactly like that of a doctor's. In mere moments her heart rate accelerated, scenario's flaring in her mind of what was ahead and all she wanted was to be free.

She began to thrash against her constraints, pleading for freedom, longing to be away from this place, from its dangers but none of it worked.

To her chagrin, she was sat up a little, and she blinked again, willing her eyesight to be better, and if on cue her glasses were slipped back on and her vision was restored to display the horror around her.

Sensing her distress, he stepped in front of her, his hands resting on her arms, gently resting himself on the side of the bed she was strapped down on.

"You're so beautiful, so very nearly perfect," He told her, his tone deep and steady, no nerves to it at all. His raised his hand to her chest, running over her scars from Battle and the subsequent fight for life that followed it, "An obvious survivor."

Penelope was near enough silenced with fear by now, she didn't want to socialise, or find out more to curb his satisfaction, she just wanted to go home.

"I can assure that you'll be the most precious," He said as he laid his hand to her chest, feeling her heart beating more than triple it's normal speed, "I think it's time." He said and stood up, walking away from her again, allowing her to see what was going on entirely.

She watched him run his hands over scalpels, and clamps and other shiny instruments you'd only see in a hospital and she cringed at the thought of what was to come. Penelope's eyes were now trained to watch his hands as they went for a needle and empty vials and she gulped deeply as he grabbed something to tie around her arm.

"Just a little blood, this won't hurt," He said smoothly, allowing her to watch as he waited for her vein to pop up and show through the paleness of her skin, the coldness making every vein stand out as it was, and then within seconds he'd started the final parts of his consultation.

"Nearly done," He told her as he drew out more and more vials of blood, setting them aside one by one, "once we've done this, I need to check you entirely."

Penelope closed her eyes again, willing the world around her to just stop; she knew this wasn't going to be pleasant or unforgiving on her memory.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**A/N: So anyone weirded out at all? Anyone want more?**


	4. Knowing Evil

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, depressingly, absolutely nothing is mine but the plot, now that is ALL mine! ;)**

**A/N:**_I'm glad I'm raising the freak level ;) Let's see if this keeps your attention..._

_SIDE NOTE!_

_Just to squeeze in a little awareness! There's a new group account under **CM SoGoodItsCriminal**... basically the authors behind mine, KricketWilliams, loveforpenandderek, emzypemzy, jenrar, Sangreal7, Harleyzgirl and Fanatical Writer's accounts all joint forces for group fics/ prompts... posted today is a fic myself and Kricket wrote so feel free to go look =) _

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope couldn't stop the tears falling as the man finally undid the restraints to her wrists and ankles. He pulled her up, keeping her there nearly naked while he grabbed a hospital gown and he threw it around her shoulder.

"Put your arms in," He instructed her delicately and then fixed it so it was tied up. He had ran test after test, got the examinations he needed from her and now he stood in front of her, just staring at her as she sat with her head dropped in shame and embarrassment. "It's clear you look after yourself. I'm guessing Derek has a helping hand in that."

Penelope's head shot up then, just at hearing Derek's name be mentioned and her eyes widened as she stared at his face she realised she knew him. "You were in the restaurant earlier," She pointed out, "An-and in the grocery store last week."

He laughed, acting a little bashful at the attention and the fact she noticed him, "The names Owen Davies."

Penelope looked at his hand, she didn't want to meet him, she wanted out.

"You might want to shake my hand; you do not want to know what I do with wasted models." He told her and Penelope reached up and shook his hand, as she pulled back he grabbed it, "Name?"

_You obviously know that_, her mind screamed at her, "Penelope Garcia." She relented with a hard smile, "When do I get out of here?" She finally asked, she knew it was an empty question but she wasn't a girl to give up hope.

"Penelope," He said as he ran a hand across her cheek, pushing into her now messy curls, he made her face tilt up to him, his piercing eyes staring into hers. "You're here for life," He told her and then he leant in and kissed her.

The moment his lips touched hers she felt the disgust roll through her, the betrayal she felt for Derek and then without a third thought she bit down, _hard_, onto his lips.

"You bitch," He said and slapped her with the back of his hand, immediately he grabbed her arms and stabled her stunned body from falling off the table, "I'm sorry, Penelope, I didn't mean to hit you like that." He apologised, "You should just have gone with it, not gone against what you know you're feeling right now." He said and began to push his hands up her thigh to towards her panties. Penelope grit her teeth, she had no pleasure in this right now. She'd let him have as much fun as he wanted just so she didn't get hit again.

"Derek won't mind if you enjoy the attention, he's had his go. He won't be coming any time soon." He told her and watched her shocked eyes stare at him in horror, "We'll see how long after your demise they turn up."

Owen then pulled his hand away from her crotch and went to look over the X-rays he had gotten, all the while Penelope scanned the room, she looked at herself in the glass, noticing it was just one way glass and she was left to wonder what was on the other side, if it really was a hospital they were in. If it smelt the same, and was still as bright as it was in here, if there were others like her.

"Well, it's clear from the examination that you're very sexually active, but looking at how the pair of you act in public it was a given really. There's not too much damage, and you're clear of any abnormalities which makes that even better." He commented as he moved to the file he had built throughout the examination. "Minor scarring to your body, just from where Jason Clark Battle shot you and the subsequent surgery thereafter." He carried on as she sat quietly, her eyes scoping the room, looking at the door, trying to work out if she could reach it and get out fast enough.

She knew her legs were a little iffy, she'd been restrained from the moment she woke up, her legs moved into stirrups when he'd done the most degrading internal of her life and then she had been free all of two seconds before she was restrained to the table again. Her body hadn't had the chance to recover any of it.

"Of course there are now the markings from the cuffed to your wrists and ankles, but I have other candidates for those."

Penelope stopped moving then, scared to move at what he had just said, "Oth-other candidates?"

Owen spun around then, "Oh Penelope, _Princess_, you're not the only one here." He said and walked to her, put his hand out for her to take and helped her off of the table.

She shivered as the bare bottoms of her feet touched the ground, the cold tiles sending chills up her spine.

As they neared the door Penelope knew she was about to find out what was on the other side of the glass.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"Where the hell is he?" Derek asked as he paced, there was no sign of Kevin, "Son of a-," He murmured, he knew what he was doing and Derek just headed out of the bullpen, and then down and out of the entire building.

It might have been late in the evening, but they knew Kevin had said he was coming. Knowing Kevin, when it came to Penelope now, he was still at home, not in the slightest bit bothered. For that Derek was going hurt him beyond anything, he wasn't leaving unless Kevin Lynch was with him. Handcuffed or not, carried or walking.

He drove like a maniac and didn't bother to park properly outside Kevin's house, he wasn't there was chat, he was there for business and right now Derek was running on buried anger as Penelope's kidnap played on loop in his head.

He stomped his way up to the door, he could see the TV was on something like the discovery channel and he didn't care if he was disrupting Kevin's alone time with the growth of monkeys or something ludicrous. He beat the door with his fist, waited and saw no response.

"You know I'll quite well kick this door down Lynch, so either you let me in or you'll have to deal with getting a new door." He shouted out and then he saw movement on the other side of the glass. He watched Kevin go to the door and as soon as it was open Derek pushed the weedy man back in and against a wall, a hand around his throat.

"I know you hate Penelope, but it's about time you put your insecurities away and helped the fuck out!" Derek growled, "Now you finally going to answer Hotch's call for help and came back with me or am I going to need to use force?"

Kevin felt the lack of air, "I'l-I'll go." He stammered and Derek released him and hit the wall.

"I'm going to say this once and you're going to listen and you're going to get in my SUV and come back with me, you hear?"

"Got it," Kevin answered, "What's happened?"

"Pen got kidnapped over two hours ago, we got another tech in, but we all know you're one of the best in the Bureau, so you're going to come and adhere to Hotch's commands. I have a disk in my car of when Pen was kidnapped and I want from you to get a damn VICAP identification on the son of a bitch that took her. You got me?"

"I got you," Kevin finally said and sunk down and went under Derek's arm and went to grab his laptop and everything else he needed.

"I'm giving you two seconds, Lynch, to be out and in the car." Derek said and left the house, he knew he was being hard, but the months of hell that Kevin had put Penelope through after she split with him were still enough to warrant Derek's hostility to play nicely.

He watched Kevin run to the passenger side whilst letting his laptop to boot up, and the moment the door was shut he threw the CD to him and then put his foot on the gas and went back to the BAU.

The ride was silent, it was given both men hated the other; there were no friendships to be had. Kevin blamed Derek for the breakup of his relationship with Penelope and Derek hadn't liked Kevin from day one, it was just the way it was meant to be.

"Got anything?" Derek said as he parked up.

"I need Pen's system, mine's not been progressed like hers, it's picking up but it keeps crashing, stating there's not enough to get a result. I know there is." He spouted and he continued to type away, still trying to get an ID.

When Derek turned off the engine, and undid his belt, Kevin let the tension slip between them.

"She is going to be okay right?" He asked warily, not sure if Derek was going to rip his head off for caring or not.

Derek sighed, his hand running over his forehead in torment, "I don't know, Kevin, I honestly don't know."

Kevin watched Derek's form get out of the SUV and quickly followed.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**A/N:** _I love a little hating on Kevin ;) And things are just getting started with Pen..._


	5. Living In Hell

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, depressingly, absolutely nothing is mine but the plot, now that is ALL mine! ;)**

**A/N:**_I love how many of you find this dude creepy, having the desired effect ;)_

_Thanks as always! You're support is much appreciated! _

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

It was nearing midnight, no one had moved, and they'd found out that the hospital had released Emily into the care of Reid. Of course, she made him go to the BAU, she wanted to help and sitting at home was only going to drive her completely crazy. Emily Prentiss was not a woman to be known for her patience.

They had no more leads until Kevin had an identity, then at least they could knuckle down a profile, a location, a game plan that the UNSUB needed Penelope for. At least then they would have some sort of idea what type of clock they were running with.

Emily looked over at Derek as he sat quietly with his hand to his mouth; he was the most adamant about not leaving. Not yet, not until they had a reliable source to follow. He barely spoke, but when he did it was useful, if not minimal for Derek's normal standards.

She got up and went and sat next to him, "I'm really sorry, Derek," She whispered to him, they had nothing to lead them on, no more links with the Sedan, no hits with VICAP just yet, there was nothing, they were just sitting a waiting game.

Hotch and Rossi were back at the scene where it all happened, hoping for some clues that would trigger a chain reaction, but an hour in they realised there was nothing, just Penelope's purse and the cloth doused in chloroform. All they could do was send that on for forensics in the hope that whoever had Penelope left DNA of some sort on it.

"You've got nothing to be sorry for." Derek told her, he didn't bother to look at her, "It could've easily have been you and not her."

"No, but it was her there. I'm a trained agent and he still got her. What does that say about me?" Emily fretted and then just resulted in breaking down, "I'm sorry, you don't need this." She said and then got up but Derek grabbed her hand and pulled her back down, he then just wrapped his arms around her, needing to feel a body next to him. "I'm so sorry Derek."

"Emily, don't blame yourself. Penelope would hate it, I hate it." Derek said and tried to believe in the words, "He wanted her; he would've got her however the hell he wanted to. We just have to work on getting her back, then we'll be okay."

Emily nodded and sat back up, smiled a little, "She was telling me as we drove to the bar about lunch, about how you spoke about the future." Emily told him and looked at Derek, dead in the eyes, "You really do make her complete Derek."

Derek smiled and looked down, "Same thing works both ways," He said and looked up as Kevin stood in the doorway, Reid behind him. "What you got Lynch?" He asked, his tone heated once again.

"Erm," He began to feel a lump in his throat, worried about Derek's reaction, but he headed into the room, plugged the laptop in and brought up the screen, "Well VICAP's still working, but I looked up the Sedan a little more. The number plate, the colour, the year of manufacture and well I found these missing people's reports." He said and watched Derek intently. "Three other women have been reportedly grabbed and gently placed into a car; no one is ever able to get to the car in time."

"So we have multiple kidnappings all of the same kind." Emily summarised Kevin's facts. "Have you looked up kidnappings of similar nature in this area and around it?"

"Searching for me as we speak," Kevin answered them. "The most recent was nine days ago, a Claire Michaels, her fiancé saw her being attacked from behind but by the time he reached her the Sedan was too far gone."

"We need to get the families in." Derek commented, feeling a rush of nausea run over him, he couldn't imagine nine days of this hell. He couldn't even last the night.

They all looked at one another, somewhat frozen at what to do, waiting on newer results from Kevin.

"You have an UNSUB that's already at work on your hands." Kevin finalised just as his laptop alerted him to a new result, he clicked a few buttons, "And we have an ID."

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"It's best to sleep," Penelope heard a voice from behind her say and she sat up and turned, looking at the brunette in the cage next to her. She watched her smile and put her arm through the bar to greet her, "I'm Claire."

Penelope sat up and wiped her cheeks, the woman opposite, like the seven others in the room, was wearing the same hospital gowns as her, she threaded her arm through and shook it, "Penelope." She sniffled at her, "What does he want with us?"

Claire smiled sadly at her, "He's harvesting us." She told her softly, "We've all got something he wants."

"Something he wants?" Penelope asked shakily, not sure she really wanted to know the extent of his master plan. "What about what we want?"

"Pen," She started softly, "It is okay to call you that right?" She asked and Penelope nodded gently, still sniffing away the tears. "He thinks we want to help him. Believe me, none of us do, we all want to be home where we should've been when he took us. He wants parts of us, and he treats it like we're willing counterparts. Be what he wants and he'll treat you really well."

Penelope's vision swirled with more tears; she really wasn't getting out of here any time soon. She turned her attention to the room they were, a stark difference to that of the room she originally woke up in. This one had tiny spot lights running on the ceiling, the walls dark and dirty, blooded. The floor was dirty, rotten even, blood splattered all over. The window to the other room was clean and she could see the clean, green and white tiling on the other side, see the main light that sat above the table that was in the middle of the room.

She sunk back down onto the side, curled up in the small cage and looked at Claire as she did the same. She smiled back at the woman, knowing that she wasn't alone in this; there were others here like her.

All taken from those that loved them.

"You were one of the feistiest he's had," Claire commented as she pulled her sheet around her and coerced Penelope to do the same. "How did he get you?"

Penelope sucked in a deep breath, remembering how Emily was attacked, "I was in a car park, about to go to a bar. He got my friend then got me. I don't even know if she's okay." Penelope said tearing up, "What about you?"

"I was getting out of car to go into my house, he came from behind. My fiancé wasn't fast enough." Claire told her solemnly, "I've been here 9 days now."

Penelope's heart skipped a beat or two, "What about the others?"

"Jo, on the end, she was brought here about 2 months ago." Claire answered, "But, Pen, get some sleep, trust me, it's better to sleep in this place than not."

Penelope watched Claire's eyes flutter shut and she tried to get comfortable, to get some sleep, but she couldn't. Her body was like a live wire to every sound and movement. Real or nonexistent.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**A/N:** _More a progressive chapter than anything, but I promise a bit of heating up in the next chapter..._


	6. Sinful Perfection

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, depressingly, absolutely nothing is mine but the plot, now that is ALL mine! ;)**

**A/N:**_Stepping everything up here...__**beware **__=P_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"Right so we know that James Owens is a struck off doctor," Rossi began, "Speciality in cosmetic surgeries and was in training for other areas of medicine."

Emily flipped onto the next page of the file, a pen running down the list, "Trauma surgeon, gynaecologist, oncologist," she read a few out; "He's literally tried to train in every area possible, but if he was struck off surely it would've made way for questioning."

"He may have been reprimanded to avoid cosmetics, Lynch can you look that up? Find out why exactly he was struck off. Every little piece of information we want it." Hotch instructed, they were losing time, they were still stuck. They had an ID, but no firm evidence or locations.

Derek watched Kevin leave and ran a hand over his head, trying to rid the headache, "If we had Pen on this we'd have answers by now."

"Give him a break Morgan, he is trying." Hotch gave Kevin the benefit of the doubt.

"Yeah well he can try fucking harder," Derek shouted and shot up out of his seat, "I need to get a drink." He excused himself and left the room, ignoring the kitchenette and headed towards the elevator. What he wanted was to be as close to Penelope as possible in that instance. That would mean just sitting alone in her office, but he couldn't, not with Kevin typing away, messing with Goddess' office.

Instead all he found himself getting closer to was the bar around the corner. He needed a strong drink to give him the nerve to face the rest of the day. It was only once he'd sated that part of him did he stroll back, his every thought full of Penelope and he just prayed that they were closer to cracking this, to getting some answers.

"...after perfection. That was his problem." Rossi commented as Derek walked back into the room and took his seat back.

They all looked at him, he looked back at them. "I got a drink, I'm fine, now what's his problem?"

Rossi and Hotch exchanged looks but they couldn't dismiss Derek and make him leave. He wasn't a force to be reckoned with and now was not the time to try.

"Owens' was struck off for getting obsessive." Hotch told Derek.

"Obsessive behaviour stems from the domination of one's thoughts or feeling for a persistent idea, image or desire. It's an act of want, of an acumination of experiences of what has the greater effect." Reid dropped in and then looked at his file he had in front of him. "I mean, if we look at what he did, at the reports." He started, "He was a cosmetic doctor, therefore could create perfection with his skill."

"You don't think he's using them all to make them perfect?"

"Pen already is," Derek said under his breath as his grip tightened on the papers of the file, "Why would he need all these women at the same time? Surely that's adding the pressure, why not do one at a time?"

"Who's to say he hasn't?" Emily added, "I mean what's the recovering time of a face lift? Or a tummy tuck? How do we know they're not in their recovery period when he moves on?"

Reid began to shake his head, "No, no I don't think it's that at all." He told them, his eyes reading the paperwork. "Once he found one thing wrong with a woman, he continued to find flaws in her. It was never just the one procedure he was happy doing. Obsessive behaviour, it's a psychiatry; it becomes a motive by a persistent overriding of ideas or impulses. It's all about the person becoming preoccupied with a particular activity, a source of achievement."

"Reid what are you getting at?" Derek asked, his voice void of emotions as he waited to see if Reid said what was running loops in his head.

"What I'm saying is that I think Owens' is using all the women to create perfection. We don't know how many others he's used, or got besides the four we know." Reid continued and looked at Hotch, then to Rossi and then the others, seeing their shock.

"So what we have is a man that's collecting women to basically harvest them?"

Reid nodded then, "I'm saying he's using _all_ of them to create _one_ person." Reid finished grimly.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"Up! All of you up!" Came Owen's voice, there was a loud clattering as he ran something over the bars of cages, waking each of the women up. "Well Penelope you're all over the news," Owen said and crouched down by the cage, "I must say Derek is quite utterly heart breaking. I never knew a man like him. I mean sure Claire's fiancé was up there, and Cassie's boyfriend, but there's something unique about Derek. Oh and you too."

"They'll find us," Penelope told him sternly, her voice dry from the effects of dehydration already, "Mark my words, Derek will kill you."

Owen laughed, "Not before all I can offer him back is a corpse." He said, a slick smile on his face and he stood up and went to Claire, "But my issue here is about a certain liar in our midst." Owen alerted them and then crouched in front of Claire, getting a key out of his pocket, "Now you Claire, aren't a natural brunette, you're a blonde." He continued and unlocked the cage, watching her push her way into the corner of it to stay away from him, "Sinners must be punished."

"No!" She said as she tried to grab the bars but missed and instead just to claw her way into floor, trying to get grip, "Please no! Don't hurt me!" She screamed as he kicked her, winding her entirely, all the women watching in horror.

"Now, now women, take note, I will find out every little secret there is to you if I want to, and well you will be repaid in kind if I am not satisfied." He then picked Claire up and held her in front of him, "Why did you dye your hair Claire?" She didn't reply, her body recovering little by little, "Why Claire?" He shouted at her and then threw her across the room. "I give you the opportunity to make something amazing with your life and this is how you repay me?"

Penelope cried at what Claire was suffering, she was panicking as she watched her slump against the floor, losing consciousness bit by bit after each new kick and punch. She closed her eyes as she heard her friend try to answer.

"It's okay; we have another liar among us here." He said leaving Claire along and walking back to Penelope, "I had such high hopes for you Penelope, but you seem to disappoint as well." He said and undid her cage.

He tried to grab her but she kicked out, not willing to let him take her, she'd witnessed what he was capable of and that scared her. But when she kicked out again he grabbed her foot and pulled her out, her hands gripping tightly on the bars.

Owen chuckled, and pulled and yanked several times before she gave and released the bars and he pulled her out, the sweat on her palms making her lose her grip, throwing her across to the wall opposite her cage. He then grabbed her by her hair and pulled her up, her hands trying to get away from his death grip.

"Now you're a natural blonde as well, not a red." He said and pulled a little tighter, "Now Penelope why did you have to do that? Why did you have to make me do this?" He didn't give her chance to answer he threw her against the wall, her head connecting with it, and she just slumped down in a heap.

It didn't take Owen long to ply a weak beating on Penelope, he made sure Claire suffered more, showing Penelope was one of the more precious ones in his collection. He picked her up and threw her back to the wall; he then stepped closer, pushing his aching, wanting body to hers, a hand holding her there by her neck.

Penelope watched him, her airway closing as he tightened his grip little by little. She watched him lean in more and more. Felt him begin to kiss her, near her lips but not close enough for her to bite him again.

"Get off me," She whispered and Owen stood back, closing his grasp more and more. All she could do was watch him smile as air began to get tight.

"Let her go you sick son of a bitch," Claire said as she finally stood up, her hand to wall to stable her.

Owen chuckled as Penelope's hands came up to fight him off her, he felt her claw into him and he just used his strength and lifted her more forward slightly so he could slam her back with such force the moment her head hit the wall she felt her consciousness begin to slip away from her.

"Come on then Claire..." He roused her, his body free of concern that either woman was going to outdo him. "I dare you..." He continued and Claire went for him, tried to get one over on him and he grabbed her with ease and heard her hair at the roots, pulling her head back, he laughed in her face, "You earned what's to come." He said and pulling her with him, he dropped her down and released a similar hell as he had earlier. When he saw her remain still, her eyes closed her breathing heavy with unconsciousness he looked at the remaining women. "Anyone else want to end up like either of those two?" He saw them all cower, all not wanting to land in the same boat, "Yeah I thought so." He spat at them and then went to closet by the exit, he opened it and they heard the clatter of chains.

They watched him attach one to each of Claire and Penelope's cages and then he got Penelope and lock the clasp around her ankle and shoved her in, not being that gentle for the moment. They then watched as he did the same with Claire, using more force than before and then like always he locked the cages back up.

"Ladies, it's show time sooner than I thought." He told them and then left them alone in the near darkness.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**A/N:**_There's a lot to be unlocked in Chapter 7... beware... _


	7. Knowing Your Heartless Fate

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, depressingly, absolutely nothing is mine but the plot, now that is ALL mine! ;)**

**A/N:**_Right, I'm weak, I was gonna keep you waiting but then I though you know what? Have more!__Now the ball really gets moving!_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

When Penelope woke up she saw Owen looking at her, she jumped and felt her body scream in pain at the injuries she had sustained. She watched him push a finger to his mouth and she looked and saw the others asleep.

"I had to come and check on the two of you." He whispered and acted nice, "I cleaned Claire up as much as I could through the bars but you, I thought you needed a little extra care. Especially for what I have planned."

Penelope rolled onto her back and let a groan out, she was groggy, her head was pounding double time and she was sure her world, at that moment, had a fuzzy edge. She was confused by Owens' nice behaviour, especially after what her and Claire had been subjected to.

She knew she was wrong to assume such a thing.

Owen unlocked the cage and then, before she could react, he yanked her out and continued to pull harshly even though she was chained up, as he threw her onto her back, she screamed out as she felt, and sickeningly heard, her ankle break.

Owen then dropped on top of her, keeping the strain on her ankle and began to clean her off with a damp cloth. "I've decided just what you're perfect for." He told her, he could hear the others waking up, causing a racket behind him to get his attention, but he ignored both them and Penelope's sobbing at the blinding pain in her ankle. The distance he kept from the cage, with the length of chain causing more and more tension to her ankle. "After researching more, finding more about your past, and looking at your relationships and achievements within the BAU, I've come to realise that you, Princess, now you're a compassionate being. You've been through so much in your life, and well Derek he completes you and since you met him he really did cherish you and help you blossom even more than you already were."

He told her as he roughly washed her skin. He halted then, his hand on her heart and leant in, "I want your heart Penelope. It'll be mine. My creation will be the most caring, loving, compassionate being going."

He then took a quick kiss.

"And your lips, they are so kissable and so perfect when you have that red lipstick on, I've decided they'll contribute the best." He studied her more, "I could have you all but I have other pieces reserved for the girls behind me."

Penelope was emotionless as her fate was handed to her on a platter, she knew now he had a proper plan for her. Her death was sealed and as she remained under him, paralysed with pain and ever growing fear she couldn't fight him, she couldn't do a thing to move her muscles.

"Claire's going to be the brain of the entire work. A fellow doctor, I admire her for that. Sophie's eyes sparkle like diamonds and she's never touched a drop of alcohol, can you believe that Penelope?" He asked her as though it was casual conversation, "Well, for those reasons, her eyes, liver and kidneys are perfect."

He looked back and winked at Jo, "Now Josephine in the corner, she's an athlete, those calves and ankles are perfect, her feet perfectly built. She's the first, we'll build from the bottom up, oh and I want her fingers," He said and then turned back to Penelope, slamming his hands down either side of Penelope's head. "Now we have four left, Erin, Lisa, Cassie and Sandra. Ooh Erin, the voice, luscious, alluring, perfect voice." He told Penelope and then climbed off, picking her up as he went. "Sandra has the arms, perfectly curved, no added fat, not too bony." He then put Penelope on the floor by the door of the cage and pushed her in hurriedly before closing the door on her and locking it back up.

"And sweet, sweet Lisa..." He said and then went in front of the cage two down from Penelope's. "That nose," He said as though devouring her with his eyes, "And well, you're the health fanatic here Lisa, and our creation needs perfect digestion doesn't it?"

"You need more than what you want from us." Cassie spat at him, "We're not enough."

"Who said I haven't got the rest ready? Plus Cassandra, you my love, we need reproduction now... " He trailed off and paced the room and then stopped, shooting them each a smile, "All my princesses have purpose now."

Again they all hopelessly watched him leave.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

The women watched as Jo was carried away, as she near enough grabbed onto what she could as she was drawn closer to Owens' O.R., his realm of work, and they could hear her scream as he slammed her down onto the table. They couldn't see it all, but they could see enough. They could hear him soothing her, using his nickname of Princess that he had given them all. One that was once used rarely was now overused.

Penelope had hardly spoken, muted with pain, she knew if she opened her mouth before she was ready it would be to let out the noise of pain or to cry and if she did that then this moment would become all too real for her to handle. Claire had already assessed what she could from her cage and she could tell from the position it was in that Penelope's foot was well and truly broken.

"Why is he setting to work now?" Cassie asked fearful, her voice shaking with terror and she looked at them all, looking for some ray of hope, all she got back was a looks of dread. "I mean after so long, why now?"

"He's on a time limit and he knows it now." Claire said as she sat up a little gingerly to move before laying back down, "You know I'm right, I'm a doctor, I know what it means to harvest organs, I know the limit he'll be working with."

"It won't work though," Lisa's voice spoke from behind Penelope. "He must know that, surely, he has to know that if he puts together all different human body parts it won't work."

"He doesn't have the idea of reality," Penelope added in, her voice riddled with pain but such complete certainty, "His concept of creating perfection is what is driving his life. UNSUB's don't think logics, they think egocentrically," She dropped in and they all just stared at. "I work for the FBI; we deal with sicko's like Owen for a living." She saw them all in shock and she smiled a little coyly, "He won't stop until he realises or he's stopped."

"If you work for the FBI surely they'll be coming." Came Sandra's voice, trying to keep it calm and not show how scared she was for Jo.

"They should be," Penelope told them and before she could say more, say something to break the tension a little, they heard Jo scream out and then Owens' calm and collected voice talk back, soothing her, instructing her, it all muffled by the closed door but they could pick out the tone nonetheless.

Then there was silence, just the noise of metal dropping on metal, no screams, no nothing.

"Something must have happened." Sandra dropped in, escalating hope in them all. "I mean he snapped and now after all this time we all have a proper purpose and I think it's you Penelope."

"Me?" Penelope queried in disbelief.

"Something in your triggered him. You heard it himself, he could use you _all_, but he doesn't want to and surely if this Derek keeps popping up on the news then they must be onto something."

The silence settled for too long before Penelope's mind took hold of an idea.

"Kevin." Penelope whispered and sat up, slumping against the bars of her cage, "They've released his ID to the public. That's why his moving quicker. His stressor's been caught, they know who he is."

"No, Penelope," Owens' voice came, "They know my old name." He then walked out, carrying a rectangular cooler box with him.

They all the blood smears on it.

He left the door open as he put it where he needed it and then went back. "They're good, I must hand it to them, they really are the BAU's best of the best."

"I told you they'd get you."

"And I told you: not before all Derek would get back is a corpse." He told her and looked at her, smiling weirdly. "Now I'm going to go and get rid of Jo's body, I'm going to taunt them a bit. Maybe offer your families a little hope with it." He said and stood up, taking their silence as achievement. "Oh and Penelope, you'll forget all about your ankle soon."

They all looked at her, wondering if she was really next, or he had just taken to simultaneously loving the newer donor and hating her enough to torture her with words.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**A/N:**_ And it's all just starting to kick off..._


	8. Speeding Up Actions

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, depressingly, absolutely nothing is mine but the plot, now that is ALL mine! ;)**

**A/N:**_Seems a lot of you are letting the tension get to you ;) Well let's get that tension up a little..._

_Any and all medical information from here on out is based on my lovely friend google, and what I've heard while in hospitals..._

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"Perfect amputation." Reid commented as he sat crouched by the body, they knew she was one of the girls missing, they'd found a note urging them to _Try Again_ and that had left them somewhat baffled at first, still in shock at the extent of the girl's death.

"Lynch, look up any failed enrolments to medical professions with either the first or last name Owen." Hotch commanded the moment Kevin picked up the phone, he might have been clutching at straws with it but he had no other way to try again like the UNSUB wanted.

They waited, and although not at Penelope's standard that they were so used to, Kevin was still keeping his side of the game up.

"Owen Davies," He breathed out, and they heard a few more clicks, "He's your man I'm sure of it, and I have an address and pieces of property under his name."

"Information about jobs?" Derek prompted.

"Yeah, sorry, he's not had full term jobs, it's like he learns what he needs and leaves after a short while," Kevin told them over the speaker.

"If he's creating some model woman then surely he'd need to know about the heart, and healthy eating, and reproduction to finish up what he needs?" Emily asked them all, "I mean he can't orchestrate something like this if he doesn't know how to fix it together."

"From his previous works we can tell he doesn't play things by ear, he does it to the book and gets it right," Rossi added on, "He perfectly amputated her legs and sutured the base of the leg up. He gave her back to us as perfect as he could after he took from her what he needed."

"She showed signs of shock prior to amputation," Reid commented, "She has pinprick marks to her chest showing he injected her with a drug of some sort to calm her heart. He didn't want anything other than her legs; he had no desire to cherish anything above her pelvis."

"So we know he has all the right drugs as well, so we have to presume he has a local supplier." Derek said and looked down at Jo's dead body as it sat a foot in front of him, "Lynch..."

"Look up any suppliers that have a client with the name Owen." Kevin said back down the line, "I'm on it."

"Why the need for two IVs?" Emily asked as she studied the body, "I mean, I get the IV to the hand, but what about the one in her neck?"

"It's in the jugular so it's a straight shot to the bloodstream, more effective than the hand." Reid told them as he inspected the body more, "Whatever he drugged her with he wanted a quick reaction to work quick."

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

"So Derek?" Claire asked Penelope, laying back on her side, watching her, both trying to divert their minds away from the pain, "Someone special?"

Penelope smiled at her, getting the dreamy look in her eyes just thinking about Derek. "He's my best friend, and he's been my boyfriend for six months. We started talking about the future the day Owen took me. The kids we were going to have, the house we were going to buy." Penelope's lip quivered as the tears came, "If this is it, Derek's not going to be the same."

"No one will be if we don't get out of this."

Penelope wiped her face, it was true, if they died here then it wouldn't be just Derek that was never the same. "It had to take a place like this to make me realise that all the times I told him I loved him just didn't seem enough."

"You can't be doing that." Claire chided her gently, "He knows."

"It just never felt enough you know?" Penelope asked her with a shrug, "I mean, there was a time in my life where I felt like my entire life was just falling apart around me and then in walks Derek Morgan and by accident my whole world changed. Life didn't seem so dim and suffocating and all because someone like him got my name wrong."

"Start of a true love that," She told her back, "That's how I met Dale. Walked into me with a cup of coffee, my white shirt was ruined but man was the date that night perfection."

Owen walked into the room, fresh scrubs on and he looked at them all. Penelope felt her heart begin to gallop, just pound at the thought that this was it, that her time was up. That she was going to endure the drawn out death that Jo had been subjected to. She closed her eyes in an empty attept that he'd just forget she was there.

"We're losing so much time Ladies," He said and went to Sophie's cage, "Penelope you have some clever people in your life, Spencer I think his name is? Now him, now he was fast, too fast and so I'm working faster too. Play fire with fire." He said and began to drag Sophie off, her screams and struggle no match for his strength, "Don't worry Penelope, you should be one of the lasts but I really want the perfect lips and heart before they make it anywhere near here."

The dwindling numbers scared them, the night before there were eight of them, now there were six and soon, when he left the room again they would be down to five.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Hotch's cell ran again and Hotch answered and pushed to put him on speaker.

"I have several places for you to check out, most obvious would be his home, but let's go with you try the abandon hospital that he owns part of." Kevin told them and then typed, "His house no place in or on the surrounding grounds to permit whatever space he needs to be some UNSUB, but the hospital, he was an intern there before it got closed, the workers were awarded part ownership for later reconciliation to get it up and running again."

"Address Lynch..." Rossi stated as they all went for the SUV.

"On your phones now," He told them, "This place hasn't been inspected in months. It's gotta be it, it has to be."

"We'll head you up," Hotch said as he put his key into the ignition and they headed off as quickly as possible, the sirens blaring, the speed limits ignored.

"We're not heading him up," Derek said as he sat in the back, fear masking him again as they drew closer and closer with every bit of tarmac.

"Morgan-"

"No," Derek told them back, "You all saw what he put her through. He taunted her at her work, near enough tormented her and now because she got kidnapped and he's helped we betray her and let him in."

"He needs to know that he can get off the case, Derek," Emily told him, her tone thick with worry for Penelope. "He deserves that piece of mind."

"You tell JJ, and my mom and they can tell him." He responded and then became completely silent on them, his gaze out the window, his hand still on his cell in case there was going to be some progression or, like he had hoped for days now, he might receive a call from Penelope.

"We do no running in without another person, we don't know what we're up against," Hotch spoke the rules of the games as they continued up the highway, "We take each other and we take Owen down the moment we see it." He continued, "If situations permit it. We don't want any harm coming to Penelope or any of the other girls."

The silence fell then, all of them gearing for what was to come. The one thing that motivated them more as they pulled up at the hospital with back up and swat was the sedan that was sat just to side of the derelict building.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Owen came out, blood on him as usual and he wiped off the latex gloves and threw them down, "I just need to get changed and then I'm all yours Penelope." He said, sounding almost giddy at the prospect of what was about to unravel. "You might have disappointed me but you all deserve the best from me."

"Believe in Derek," Cassie said from far on the other side, "You trust them to find you and they will Pen, you're going to be fine."

Penelope put her hands to face, trying to calm herself a little, "But he's working faster now, he isn't going to stop now," She then shot up and looked at Claire, after finding her a confidante from the moment she was put in this place she trusted her, "Please tell Derek that I love him, that he was all I could think about until the end. Tell him that after my parents I never expected a family to take me in but I love his mom like she was my own and he gave me sisters and he made me want to live after Battle, just tell him that he made me complete Claire. I need him to know this, I need him to know that I didn't die knowing I never understood how much he loved me because I knew."

"You're going to tell him," Claire told her, crying herself, weakening her injured body more and more, her breathing catching more with each now solicit. "Promise to tell him yourself."

"Claire..." Penelope suppressed a sob, "Just tell him that I love him and tell the others, that they were my heroes. Always." She said as she put her head to the bars as Owen came back in, "Please promise me..." She sobbed at last as he came towards her, Claire battling with disbelief that this was it.

"I promise," Lisa spoke up, "We'll all tell him."

Owen chuckled, "You actually think you're going to make it out of here to tell a tale?" He said and then as he through the cage door back her drug Penelope out and removed the cuff off of her ankle, making her grit her teeth against the pain. "Time for some fun with you, Penelope." He told her and then forced her to her feet, ready to drag her off to her fate.

He caught her as her legs gave out and she cried against the pain in her ankle and tender body and he just scooped her up into her arms. He loved having her weak in his arms, unable to properly fight for freedom.

"How about you ladies tell Derek how much fun me and Penelope had in the run up to her death." He shouted out as he finally got Penelope into his operating room and closed the door.

This moment was all his now.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**A/N:** _I'm getting persistent with the cliffies! ;) Who's prepared for _**_what's_**_ to come?_


	9. Paralysing Reality

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, depressingly, absolutely nothing is mine but the plot, now that is ALL mine! ;)**

**A/N:**_Okay... so here we go... the __real__ action... To be honest, I'm a little apprehensive about the outcome of this... But gentle pursuasive from the lovely Sangreal7 and this is getting updated!_

_Again, same rules with the medical mumbo jumbo, I'm no doctor in the making =P I'm relying on TV (which isn't reliable I know!), what I've heard and what Google had to offer ;)_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Laying on the table she could feel the coldness on her back, could feel the restraints around her arms and ankles and could feel the breeze that swept through the room as it coursed over her near naked body as it lay bare and vulnerable.

She watched as Owen came towards her, he ran his hand up her neck, pushing her head to the side, making her jugular stick out. She felt his finger trace down and she bit her lip at the pressure she felt and then shivered as his hand continued to run down further.

As his index finger ran over her breast he stopped and then leant over her more, as if inspecting her chest, his hand ran down her sternum stopping and pressing in before pulling back.

Penelope then watched as he spun around and grabbed something before turning back and picked up her hand, pulling it up as high as he could with the restraint on and then without even trying to pop the vein with a tourniquet he inserted the needle.

Penelope felt the pain and had to gasp, that didn't feel right, and he obviously knew as he withdrew the needle and tried several times before dropping her hand down and then going around to the other hand. This time he made sure a vein was visible before inserting the needle before being satisfied that it could fit an IV now.

All she could guess was that he was feeling the pressure now.

"Sorry about that Penelope." He soothed her, his tone a little icy, the warmth still near enough banished due to his concentration and still a little rigid after finding out she wasn't a natural red head, he still didn't hide the disappointment he'd made known for that.

"Now so we're under the understanding, it's time for a little operation I guess you could call it." He said as he fixed the IV and then grabbed a syringe of clear fluids before moving back up to be by her head, "Now this is going to make you feel a little woozy, but it'll wear off for you to be able to share the moments with me." He then kissed her cheek, tasting the tears that were now falling and the injected her with the drug. "It's okay, Princess, it's bonding so that I can look at my creation and know that the heart, the main drive of it is from someone like you. Someone that tried to fight until the end, and cares for everyone in the midst of such frightening pressure. I chose the right heart with you Penelope."

"P-please," Penelope said, feeling the effects of the drug as it wrapped around her bloodstream, but continued to fight the restraints, "Don't do this."

"Oh Penelope, I can't stop what's been started." He told her in his calm voice and then grabbed a new needle and what Penelope could make out another IV looking device. "Now this is going to hurt." He said as he tilted her head to side again, showing her jugular and then he inserted the new IV, ignoring Penelope's tight whimpers of pain. "Shh, shh, nearly done." He told her gently; he just continued to work, ignoring her entirely.

He then pulled back satisfied and smiled as he grabbed her head and made her look at him, the look in her eyes told him that the mild sedative was working quicker than he had anticipated.

"Now I'm a really, kind of, unorthodox doctor," he stated as though Penelope would never have guessed. "So you see, when I tube you, you'll be awake, which I'm sure is a first." He then leant in, kissed her again and moved to her ear. "Of course at first it'll be difficult but after the new drugs I have are in your system and kick in you won't be able to control much more than your eyes, then the real party begins."

"Don't," Penelope slurred at him.

"Now your lips, I think I'll leave them until last, I know by then you won't be alive but I can still harvest those and have everything fresh." He consulted more to himself, ignoring her, "And well, I know I really should gather all my other pieces of perfection from the other princesses but you're just a siren to me. However much I push away from you, you pull me back in. However much your lie hurts me, I can't wait anymore. I can't last anymore."

He then went over to the sink, washing his hands thoroughly.

"Plus if I take your lips it'll get so messy when I come to tube you and that won't work in my favour."

Penelope watched him, just able to work him out in the distance as the sedative merged everything as it gripped her more and more and then he came back, making more noise as he grabbed stuff.

"Now these Penelope, these two drugs are the main contributors to making our time its ultimate." He told her and proceeded to inject her. He knew he had to work fast; the drugs were designed for quick results and in his 'profession' he knew that.

Pulling the ventilator close he got ready to fulfil all that he had promised and set about finishing the intubation so he could set to work. Even as Penelope's slowing reactions occurred as the drugs paralysed her every muscle he carried on. Trying to slide the tube in the best he could against her automatic reflex to gag against the intrusion. He could see her chest beginning to deflate, the inhales decreasing as the drugs for intubation worked their magic and then just as it got in place and he could see Penelope's eyes closing with lack of air he connected the entire thing together and turned it on.

With each new artificial breath of air he watched Penelope come more and more alive again.

His self achievement and confidence at his own abilities manifesting all the more.

"Let me just fix this in place and we're ready to rumble." He told her and carried on his work, clearly ignorant of her eyes streaming with tears. "We need to test how much you can feel, because if you can't feel it then something went wrong."

Penelope's eyes widen at that and she felt him grab her bad ankle, the pain exploding throughout her and she screamed but no movement came, no noise rang out, it was all trapped within her. Now her mind began to panic, doubling over and over.

"That's what I like to see." He said and then dug a scalpel into her thigh and ran it down her leg and saw her eyes shut, the tears getting ever more harsher. Satisfied, Owen grabbed the EKG pads for the heart monitor, pressing them to her chest and then connecting them to the machine he turned that on in the same manner that he did with the ventilator, and watched as Penelope's heart rate was detected, rapid and only galloping faster and faster.

It was hard to deny that Owen knew what he was doing, he was in charge and he knew the procedures he had to do and when they needed to be done.

Grabbing surgical sheets he placed them over Penelope, fixing it so he could see her face, and the IV in her neck, as well as uncovering her feet so he could make sure there were no twitches that could occur. He looked down at the purity of the skin to her chest and smiled.

Even as he picked the scalpel up his hand never wavered with nerves but was steady, he was confident in his trade and that was almost as scary as him being a mess. He lowered the blade down and cut through Penelope's skin on her chest, pulling downwards.

Reaching the bottom he started again, but getting to the top he stuck the knife in a little deeper, trying to gain the access he needed to be ready to split her chest open to get the most precious prize of all the women.

The pain was getting to be unbearable but it wasn't enough to make Penelope slip into unconsciousness, and then as the pain got worse, her body screaming over and over again to make him stop, the sick feeling growing in her stomach, her mind screaming at her muscles to work, to tense, to shift; to stop him she heard what could've been God himself.

"Owen Davies..." Hotch's voice resonated the air and Penelope's heart felt like it stopped in that moment. "FBI, stop what you're doing and put your hands up where we can see them."

"I would advise you to listen," Derek ground out, the moment he saw Penelope he felt an overwhelming will to just attack, but he knew that could cause Penelope more harm and they needed Owen for answers. He knew that, he just had to keep his promise to Hotch and remain calm until they could guarantee the safety of Penelope and the other women.

"It's okay Princess," Owen said stalling the scalpel at the bottom of Penelope's chest, "Just a minor distraction, we'll get back to finishing soon." He said and removed the blade and placed in a metal dish, but then changed his mind and went back to work.

Hotch nodded and Derek to move in, they knew from the profile that Owen wouldn't kill Penelope, which would spoil the plan for him, so he swooped in, pressing the gun to Owen's neck, "You messed with the wrong Princess," He told him, his tone strained with anger and worry.

"Never," Owen said strained.

"Put the scalpel down," Derek almost yelled, he could see the blade piercing deeper and deeper, the blood flow worsening some. When Owen didn't respond Derek pulled back on the gun, showing how ready he was to shoot the gun. "I said drop the scalpel now!" Derek shouted, "I won't hesitate pulling this trigger."

Owen sighed, stood right and withdrew the scalpel one last time, "We'll be done soon, Penelope."

"I don't think so," Derek said grabbing Owen so harsh that the metal blade fell to the ground, ricocheting on the tiles. All Derek did was shove the man in the direction of Hotch, Reid and Rossi before making sure Penelope got his soul attention.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**A/N:**_And there's your rescue... was it worth it?_


	10. Orbs Of Love

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, depressingly, absolutely nothing is mine but the plot, now that is ALL mine! ;)**

**A/N:**_Wow your reviews were immense, thank you guys! You all rock =) Now we've had the start of the rescue let's have the rest of it shall we?_

_Again with the medical jargon, no doctor am I!_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

All Penelope could do was look up as the eyes before her weren't full of ice, now they were brown orbs of love and she finally broke. After all what could she do when she couldn't move any muscle in her body, and couldn't speak?

Her vision blurred with tears but she could only imagine the ability to just wipe them away as they pulled down her cheeks, her eyes started to dart around the room as she heard more and more movement, she was panicking at being so vulnerable.

"Baby Girl," Derek said as he watched her panic, and the heart monitor she was hooked to started to race faster and faster. "We're just getting a doctor down here; he's going to make sure it's safe to get you out of here."

Penelope closed her eyes tightly, she didn't want anyone to touch her, but she knew that rationally no other doctor was going to hurt her, especially if the team were around.

"Open your eyes Princess," Derek coerced her gently and she listened and looked at him, held his gaze, refused to look away. For a brief moment Derek looked up as Hotch came to the other side of Penelope.

Penelope's eyes flicked over to Hotch and she settled a little more before looking back.

"Right, P, I want you blink once for yes, twice for no, do you understand?"

Penelope blinked once, keeping her eyes tight before opening them and looking at Derek. Almost wanting him to talk at her, use nicknames, even hear him call her princess. Give her a sense of hope and familiarity.

"Are you in pain?" He asked and watched her blink once again, "A lot?" He continued, his worrying only manifesting as he watched her blink once again. In the moment a tear escaped and her eyes clouded with concern at seeing his expression. "Can you feel anything?" He watched her hesitate a blink.

"Right, Penelope, help's here, we're going to get you comfortable and then we're going to get you to the hospital." Hotch stepped in, "Do you want us to stay?"

Penelope blinked, she didn't want them to leave her just yet, she wanted to scream at them to not leave her, because at that moment they were the only things stopping her from having a full on panic attack.

As she noticed more and more strangers gather around her she couldn't remain calm any longer. Inside she was screaming but on the outside she was unmoving. If anyone could hear her then they'd hear her uncontrollable pleads, they'd leave her alone if they could hear her screams.

"Do we know what drugs were used?" A stern voice came, Penelope could hear him, but she couldn't see him, or hear him and she was thankful to be left somewhat oblivious.

"There's bottles here of Curare, Rapacuronium, Vecuronium and Pancuronium. We don't know which are used." Rossi's voice punctuated the air, from what felt like far away.

"Right we need to hope that Pancuronium wasn't used." The stern voice spoke up again.

Derek looked up, fear stricken again, "Isn't that used as part of the lethal injection?"

Penelope's mind blurred then, she'd had so many drugs given to her since she'd been there she wasn't sure if these were new ones, or had in fact been used before, but the moment she heard lethal injection she felt her fear ignite again and it must've shown because Derek's attention was back on her.

"Pen," He started but the doctor stepped in.

"Penelope, my name's Joel, I'm going to get you out of here, I just need you to listen to me, to all of us, none of us are going to hurt you, do you understand?"

Penelope listened to him and she had to calm, she was going to be free after all. She had Derek back, had her family back, had her hope restored.

The doctor looked up at Hotch, "She needs a hospital, I don't have the drugs for this sort of thing. We need to reverse whatever neuromuscular-blocking drug he used and get her breathing on her own."

"So she's going to be okay?" Derek hoped he would get the desired answer.

"We'll know more once she's had the antidote." The doctor concluded and continued to look Penelope over.

He took note of the long cut that had been started down the middle of her chest and started to treat it. He realised it was deeper at the bottom, in the attempt to cut through the cartilage to get through to the sternum; he noticed the steady blood flow and set to work stabilising the bleed.

"I can't do much from here at all, all I can do is stabilise her the best possible and then fix this at the hospital. It's too dangerous to attempt anything here." The doctor told them, and he noticed Penelope's heart beat becoming irregular, "I promise you Penelope we'll get you back to normal by the time the morning sun comes up."

Penelope looked up at Derek, trying to get his attention, she had this, the noises, the helplessness, the wild scared feeling that was taking over everything she could feel. She wanted to tell them she was beyond aware of everything, of the tube down her throat, the commotion from the other room where her and the others were held, of the continual beeping of the heart monitor, of the dead girl on the bed on the other side. She wanted to scream at them that she could feel pain, the deep burn of the slice up her chest, the one up her thigh, the pain in her ankle from being cuffed up and thrown about. She needed them to know that her entire body was buzzing but she couldn't, no matter how hard she tried move any part of her body apart from her eyes.

So she focused on the accumulating rapid of emotions in her, the rabid ones and the calmed controlled ones and she let the cap on fear go and watched as she shot down to look at her.

"Baby Girl, we didn't mean to scare you," He said and kissed her cheek, "I love you, you know that right?" He asked her and she blinked, holding it tight before opening them. "And we're going to get you out, and we're going to look after you and I am never leaving you again. The one night I do and I come too close to losing you."

Penelope could hear the dread in his tone, the slick amount of fear at this predicament, she'd seen his face as he'd surveyed the cut down her chest, the mad panic, the shot of anger as it bolted into his face but was quickly absorbed as he returned his attention to keeping her calm.

"I should have never taken you for granted." He finished calmly, and his tone sounded so much more relieved, like the weight on it was gone, that he now knew he had another chance with her and he took it.

"I think it's time we moved her," The doctor said after he'd checked Penelope over entirely, making sure the IV in her hand was in appropriately, as was the one in her neck. The one thing he needed was to find out that the multiple narcotics were being pumped into her muscles and not her bloodstream. "This is distressing enough; I want both of you with her." He advised both Hotch and Derek, "We'll get a full blood work done the moment we're at the hospital and tend to the wound on her chest, there we can access how deep he managed to get before you got here. Then we'll be able to take the best course of action from there."

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	11. Simple Moves

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, depressingly, absolutely nothing is mine but the plot, now that is ALL mine! ;)**

**A/N:**_Sorry for the no replies... been running around all day, then had work and literally exhausted... don't doubt that I love you guys for reviewing, you're all fantastic! _

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Getting to the hospital the commotion increased and her nerve shattered again, but then Derek's voice would break the air and she'd calm, knowing that none of these people would hurt her, and she knew she was stuck with him for this entire time.

Derek listened to the doctor shout orders around, watched as blood's were taken, as Penelope was hooked up to a new heart monitor and the doctor finally got a proper look at the damage occurred to her body.

He heard words thrown around casually, the calmness overwhelming. Broken this, too deep that, damage here, alert OR, and all he could do was hold Penelope's hand in his. And as he looked down at it he realised the mass of bruising to it and released it a little, scared that he was hurting her. He became so cautious to Penelope, worried that just his touch was causing her to scream inside and him not be able to know.

"What's happening?" Derek asked as the action started to calm and dissipate from the room.

The doctor smiled at him, "We're going to give Penelope some more pain relief, we need some X-rays, then we can access the damage to her ankle and possibly get an MRI so we can see the position of the breathing tube, make sure it's not inappropriately positioned and causing further problems. As for the wound on her chest, I want to stitch it under anaesthetic so that Penelope doesn't go through anymore unnecessary stress and trauma. Same as the one on her thigh."

"Okay, so is that happening now?"

"No," The doctor started, "It's not a straight cut job, the blood work will tell us exactly what's in her system, but from the paralysis of her entire body and respiratory system I'm pretty sure she's heavily drugged. If that's the case, I want to make sure she's able to breathe on her own and have some motion of mobility before I even anticipate any form of surgery."

"Will she be in pain at all?" Derek fretted; his main concern was Penelope being as pain free as humanly possible.

"I plan to make her as comfortable as possible, but it's never easy to tell in these predicaments. Penelope will be the only one that can determine if she's had enough or not enough."

"And what about the surgery? I mean is it necessary?"

The doctor nodded, "I want her as unmarked from this as possible, and I have a good feeling I can reduce the amount of scarring that will occur." He told Derek professionally, "And just from inspection of the swelling, bruise pattern and the way it's sitting, I'd say her ankle is quite severely broken. Which, if going on what I saw back there, means it was left untreated and I'm pretty sure she received, if any, weak pain relief."

Derek sat back, a hand going over his head, "But she is going to be okay right?"

"The prognosis is really good." He said and looked at Penelope, "I know it might not feel like it Penelope, but you'll be okay at the need of this."

Penelope had listened to the conversation, not really realising it was really her they were discussing. Her mind wasn't with her, it was on the pain and the events and what was to come and she wasn't scared of anything in the future, just what was held in the days of her capture.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

For fear of overdosing her on medication, she was left to wait out the drugs that were in her system, the doctor was waiting for her to get feeling back, to be able to breathe again before he even thought about adding any form of anaesthesia or sedatives to her bloodstream.

All they could do was give her morphine, something that he knew her body was screaming for, make Penelope comfortable and get her settled until he was satisfied she was strong enough to last any surgical procedure safely.

She knew her ankle was severely broken, making that a problem to be solved in an operation and to be safe she knew her chest was going to be sorted properly to reduce the risk of mass scarring.

But for now she could just lay stuck in her body.

Left to allow her mind to overrule as she had no choice to distract herself.

Her brain wracked over the moment she felt the knife slowly slice her skin, how it dragged down, how it got deeper and deeper. How the first slice was more to create precision, creating the starting line before the real work began. She remembered Bennett's face, so poised and satisfied with his work that he was committing.

Then it hit her.

And her panic began to rise again.

She should be dead. Theoretically she should be heartless now, quite possibly a corpse like Sophie was. Davies should be done by now, but no, her team, the one she was told would never came, came in and saved her from the worst death possible.

In the moment her panic rose she felt her lungs grip more for air. That alone would've made her panic elevate but combined with her fear of her own imminent death just took control and she felt herself struggle.

It was as though, one moment her body wasn't responding to the antidote and then it was.

She could feel her fingers and slowly she started to claw at the bedding, trying to wake Derek or Hotch, try, even though she knew it was a fail, to get someone outside the room's attention. The tears came harder as she started to gag and her mind screamed at her to just lift her arm, and pull at the tube, but her wrist was barely moving, nowhere else had gained mobility back.

Then like her saviour again, Hotch jolted awake and saw her panic, he didn't say anything just threw himself from the chair and ran to the door, waking Derek in the process.

"Oh God," Derek mumbled as his entire body woke up the moment he saw the distress Penelope was in, "Pen, I know it's hard, but you need to calm down, just relax and the doctor will be here in a moment." He tried to soothe her but he could see it was hard for her to do as every second that passed she began to take control of her own breathing more and more. The narcotics obviously letting her diaphragm free of its paralysed stated, allowing her lungs to contract and relax, fighting against the artificial breaths.

"Shh, P, it's going to be fine, you're going to be okay." Derek told her and for the first time since being taken out of that house she firmly believed she would be.

As the doctor came into the room he acknowledged Derek's calming way with Penelope and advised the nurses to not move him. He went to Penelope's side, checking her vitals and he could see twinges occurring all over her body, her fingers moving more, her left knee bending a little.

"Right Penelope, we're going to get this tube out of you as quickly as possible, but I need you to be as calm as possible. We know there's evidence damage occurred so it will be painful when we do take it out, but you're in the best possible hands here."

He saw Penelope look at him, her eyes telling him she believed him and he set to work, and he tried his hardest to get the tube out of Penelope's throat as swiftly and as pain free as he could.

All Derek could do was listen to Penelope gag and cough as the tube was taken away and listen to her crackling breathing after, she finally took short and shallow breaths. He looked up at Hotch as he stood at the end of the bed, the same worry consuming him.

"We're going to keep you on oxygen until you're more able to breathe deeply and we're going to need to take a look and see how badly damaged your trachea is, but for now I just advise you to breathe like you normally would and rest your voice." The doctor advised her, "Get some sleep would be a good idea and I'll be back to schedule the surgery."

He then left, allowing the nurses to do what they doing, checking her vitals, clearing up, making sure everything was entirely okay before leaving Penelope alone completely.

"D-D..." She managed croakily before her voice cut out on her, her head moving ever so slightly at last.

"Shh, you just rest that pretty voice." He advised her soothingly.

Penelope closed her eyes, gathered in a calming breath before opening them, "D-Derek," she managed and slowly she felt her lips pull into a smile after just the mere thought of achievement.

"It's good to finally hear you, Gorgeous but really you need to rest that beautiful voice of yours."

"W-w-w-" She managed, the damage from earlier proving more and more evident, "W-water."

Grabbing the cup of water one of the nurses had placed nearby for when Penelope was ready he removed the oxygen mask before he helped her drink some and then watched her settle, placing the mask back on and the cup down he watched her fall asleep, just as Hotch took his seat again and he took her hand felt the smallest of grips possible.

"It's going to be okay," He said to Hotch, his eyes remaining on Penelope, "I know it is."

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	12. Ceasing The Moment

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, depressingly, absolutely nothing is mine but the plot, now that is ALL mine! ;)**

**A/N:**_It's getting better from here =) Promise! _

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

To say the least, Penelope actually cherished silence, actually valued the noises of life and she wasn't afraid that something was going to happen. She knew hours wouldn't lapse before someone she knew came in, and she was sure that Owen was never getting near her again, knowing he was locked up with high security and all gave her bigger peace of mind.

She just had to wait it out a little while longer.

The team still had a job to do with cleaning up the mess of the kidnappings and she was told they had taken it upon themselves to find out Owens' motive, get the answers they needed in the wake of her kidnapping.

As for Derek, he was down the corridor, getting more coffee that he'd drink reluctantly because between that and the toilets he wasn't going further afield just yet.

It had only been a day, and she now able to weakly move, her ankle was fixed and kept elevated on multiple pillows, her chest now completely stitched up and covered with a long plaster, clearly visible through the gown she'd been put in, her thigh in a similar manner.

Just at the thought of the cut down her chest her hand slowly moved up and rested and she was fearful of what might be left.

Then as the shadow of doubt cursed over her mind she looked at the door to see Derek staying there, his mouth curved into a bright smile at seeing her awake and his smile only magnified as she smiled brightly at him.

"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes," Derek said, in the hours of getting her back he merely watched her, let the vision of her in front of him swim into his veins and lavished the sensation of just seeing her gave him.

Penelope watched him walk in, putting the awful cup of coffee down and go to her, immediately he kissed her gently, but when Penelope responded, feeling like she was losing air if she didn't get more, he responded and carried on kissing her.

Since the day Penelope went missing Derek finally felt like his world was spinning again, like life was going to go on because he had his girl back, his life was back in his arms.

"I shouldn't be getting your blood pressure up this soon after surgery." Derek murmured to her, grabbing a couple of more kisses before separating and sitting on the side of her bed gently.

Penelope laughed dryly, her throat still not up to making its normal noises, "So good though," She croaked at him and coughed a little painfully before settling.

The pair sat in equal silence, smiling at one another and Penelope threaded her fingers through Derek's, loving the feel of his hand in hers after what felt like eternity.

"I love you," They both said at the same time, and both laughed a little embarrassed, Penelope's cheeks having a weak blush flood into her paled complexion.

She then just looked up at him, tilting her head a little to the side, "All the time I was there I never gave up." Penelope told him raspy, "I knew you had to come for me, and you did. I swear Hotch is now God."

Derek smirked a little, "I thought that was David Bowie."

"I'd much more believe in Hotch." She said as her voice began to fizzle out some, "I can touch that Deity."

"And there was me thinking I was your God." Derek said back jokingly, thankful that Penelope's persona wasn't killed in that place, that it hadn't taken her mentally and emotionally from him.

"Chocolate Adonis is an entirely different league my yummy man," Penelope told him gently, and then her face grew serious, "What happened to the others? I mean Claire was hurt and h-he killed Sophie."

Derek sensed Penelope's panic at the other women that were rescued and he just leant in, "You gonna calm down to let me tell you?" Penelope nodded at him, hastily, no reluctance to it. "And are you gonna rest that throat so it can heal?" Again another nod, "Claire, as far I know, is in the same ICU block as you, the others are being kept in to monitor the effects of drugs and malnutrition."

Penelope closed her eyes at knowing that they were safe, "Their families?"

"All here." Derek said and watched her nod. "Claire's boyfriend is here too, Hotch met him and Claire, she panicked about you."

Penelope sucked in a breath and tried to calm, she knew they were all out, that no one else lost their life to the hands of Owen.

"It was so horrible," Penelope admitted, her eyes still closed, "I remember waking up and he told me I was there for a consultation, he needed to check me over and i-it so horrible." Penelope finally opened her eyes to look at him; he saw the terror that had built up. "He did it to all of us, each and every one of us had been through that, all had to be violated and all before he believed we were fit for his creation.

And it was just so silent, there were no noises at all, just random movements and he'd speak at us like we were willing counterparts in it all. That we wanted to be a part of what he was doing. Like we chose it and..." She took a moments break, composing herself, "He called us all Princess, and I thought that ever hearing you call me that would kill me inside, but you came in and called me it and I was never so relieved to hear you say it."

Derek listened to her, he knew if he stopped her then she might wake up the next day and refuse to talk about it anymore, to open up about the events, and he needed to give her the time to speak about it when she needed to and that was now.

"This doesn't ruin us does it?" Penelope asked, near enough begging for honesty. Her voice became weaker, her tears beginning again, "I don't want you to look at me like I'm some messed up victim because that would hurt me more. I don't want to lose the best thing in my life because of this."

"You know I said that I'd taken you for granted?" He asked her calmly and she nodded fearfully, "Well that's because when we found out that he was yearning for perfection, I realised I never took all the moments we had together to show you how perfect you were to me. Not just one part or a bit of you, but the entire you is perfect to me."

Derek glanced into Penelope's eyes, making her see right through to his core, to understand him.

"I realised I never cherished you enough, or told you I loved you enough and I started to doubt if, maybe just maybe, I never proved to you that you choosing me as the man to give it all to was the right move for you."

"Oh Handsome," Penelope said in a near whisper.

"I had you and then someone else had you and I had no idea what was happening with my life, but Penelope please know that even at the mere thought of never having you back destroys me. I never wanted to settle down because out of all the women that were attracted to me all they wanted was sex and that's not me. I left most of them wanting me, I was a player and they thrived on that. I've always wanted it all and then you came along, and it took this to make me openly say it for real. Not discuss it, but make it happen."

"Say it," Penelope urged him a little.

"I want you to marry me Penelope. This isn't because of what's happened, I've been thinking it for ages, even beyond what we've spoken, and I thought it was okay because I had all the time in the world, but I never did and this proved it. I have no reason to wait for tomorrow because we're only here for today."

Penelope smiled at him, her cheeks still soaked with her own tears and the feelings she had in her at the moment eclipsed all of the damage that Owen had inflicted. Derek took away from her all of the negative feelings that were quite ready to consume her whole and replaced them with hope and love and a future.

"I promise to cherish you, Baby Girl, because you deserve it above everyone. I've had you and I love you and I promise from this day forth to be the best man that you ever gave your heart too."

"You need to know something," Penelope began and gave his hand a quick squeeze, "If you hadn't have loved me enough I wouldn't have survived that place. You, my handsome man, gave me so much more than you give yourself credit for. I wouldn't have the strength or the courage to be like me again after all I'm not that without you. I mean if this was anyone else here I would've closed off, but you, Derek, it's always been you and you're just too blind to notice it."

Derek studied her face; he saw no lie to her words at all.

"Plus, I just needed a way to get you to wake up, smell the roses, and finally make me a Morgan."

That was all Derek needed for yes as he leant in and kissed her, making her heart still for a moment.

Penelope let the kiss wander through her entire body and the one thing she believed in at that was moment was: Derek Morgan could paralyse her with a kiss any day and she wouldn't mind in the slightest.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	13. Reality Hits Hard

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, depressingly, absolutely nothing is mine but the plot, now that is ALL mine! ;)**

**A/N:**_Only a couple of chapters left of this one guys!_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Derek looked at Penelope as she sat watching the screen, her mind somewhat distracted, her body getting the rest it needed. He could stare at her for an eternity and never get bored. Her entire expression, from the form of her lips, to the look in her eyes showed more words than anything else.

He was thankful that she wasn't too bruised and battered physically, of course there were the red marks from hits and force but really on her body the only wounds she carried was the cut to her chest, the one her thigh, her broken ankle and a gash on the back of her head from where she was thrown into a wall multiple times. As for internally she had bruised ribs, nothing else broken or fractured, just bruising and he could cope with that. Cope with her being less hurt than she already was.

All of a sudden Penelope's head turned to look at him, catching him staring at her and she smiled weakly, her eyes tired and pained.

"You know..." Penelope started and weakly moved her arm out to have his hand, her muscles still slowed by the lasting effects of the drugs. "He knew how much we love one another."

Derek smiled then, moving to lean towards her more, pushing her hand to his lips and he kissed it, keeping it on his lips he waited for her to continue.

"Apparently we make it publicly known, Handsome," Penelope told him, her voice raspy, "And for one moment I was glad that he noticed it. I mean," She paused shifting a little uncomfortably to look at him more, "It shows I stake claim well."

Derek's eyes sparkled then, his mood spiking, Penelope was teasing him, after doubting that she was slipping into the oblivion of post traumatic stress he realised she wasn't sinking – or at least not yet anyway.

Penelope then closed her eyes, breathing deeply, her exhale showing up her pain in drips. When she opened her eyes again she saw his eyes watching her intently, his lips parted ready to question her.

"I'm in pain," She admitted easily and she read his shock, and laughed, its sound more exasperated than normal, "Now's not the time to play independence, I'm done with that for the moment." She joked with him.

She looked over at the door as she saw movement and saw Fran coming up towards her door.

"When did Mom get here?" She asked and turned to look at Derek.

"Ooh, about 6 hours into you going missing," Derek told her and smirked, "That woman will forever be my life saver."

"Is it safe to enter?" Fran's sweet voice came from the door, she had a smile on her face, readying with a hug for Penelope.

"As long as I get some motherly love," Penelope croaked at her.

Fran smirked and walked in, "That was a given now," She said and went to the opposite side of Penelope's bed that Derek was.

Penelope put her arm out slowly for a hug and Fran accepted, wrapping her arms gently around her without causing pain or harm. Then when she pulled back she sat on the edge of the bed and surveyed Penelope.

"It looks a lot worse than it is," Penelope defended herself, she knew she must've looked horrendous with all the bandages, cuts, marks, tubes, wires on her. "Trust me."

"I'm allowed to worry." Fran defended lovingly, "I've been worrying for nearly 4 days over you and this is how I get you back, I have every right to be in panic mode right now."

"But she's not going to go there," Derek stepped in, looking at his mom, "Are you?" He asked with a smiled, "Because we're all about getting Pen better now."

"If that's true why aren't you asleep?" Fran asked Penelope, an eyebrow risen, "You've had surgery, one that put me more on edge however much the doctor said it was procedural..."

"I can't sleep." Penelope admitted and she could feel them both looking at her, "I'm scared to."

Derek took over then, "I'm going to be here, Baby, I'm going to keep you safe. He can't get you now, and you need to rest and recuperate and not sleeping isn't going to help in any way."

Fran stood up, "I'm going to go get a nurse, and we're going to get you some pain relief and then you're sleeping." She then walked to the door, "I was going to listen to reason and go back to yours but now I think I have a better place to stay."

Penelope looked at the empty doorway and went to sit up a bit, "How worried has she been?"

"It doesn't matter," Derek said as he stood up and gently made his way to sitting next to her, "Just know that we're all happy we got you back in one piece."

Penelope closed her eyes, trying to halt the tears.

"Baby, we all worried about you, nonstop but that was a given. Especially Emily..." He watched Penelope's face drain, her eyes a little wide.

"Emily?" Penelope asked him, "How is she? I saw him throw her down and I didn't do anything to help her. Oh God..." She dreaded and her breathing became sharper, the effects of what she'd endured both at the hands of Owen and from the surgery showing on her.

Penelope hadn't seen anyone else but Derek and Hotch, had only seen Rossi back at where Owen had kept them, but she'd been kept so secluded until she was a little more back to normal and the doctor was satisfied with her progress.

"Pen, she's fine, she had a nasty bump but she got cleared by the hospital and now, as you can see, your allowed visitors so Em's coming by in the morning."

Penelope put a hand to her head, her eyes closed, trying to rationalise with her brain and calm herself down. It was when she hiccupped a sob, trying to stop herself from fully breaking that she felt Derek lay down next to her and just hold her in his arms.

"It's okay," He soothed her, "Baby, you need to keep calm, this isn't going to do any good." Derek continued to hold her, keeping her in his arms, trying to protect her from all other dangers that could occur. He knew she had been too collected, to calm, and he knew it was only a matter of time before she broke. "You're safe."

"I know," Penelope sobbed, "But he still did it to me." She clung to him as the nurse came in with Fran and she knew she did and didn't want the familiarity of drugs in her system, she knew what memories would strike and she didn't want them.

"Pen, I'm going to hold you through the night okay? If that's what you need I'll do it. Whatever you need..." Derek asked her quietly, plying her with kisses. "You need to rest and I promise you, you'll be fine." He looked at the nurse, his eyes pleading with her and watched her nod at him, giving him permission to remain there. "I'm not leaving."

"Promise," Penelope whispered into his chest.

"I promise you, I am not leaving you." He told her and then held her hand so the IV was face up and allowed the nurse to administer the morphine before he allowed her hand to take a hold of his shirt again.

That was how they slept all night, cuddled together, his arms around her and he refused to leave that spot until she was up and prepared for him to part with her.

Now was about what Penelope needed, not what they thought she needed. Only Penelope could tell him what it was she was after to sort any type of solace and he had vowed to himself that if he ever got her back he wouldn't take her for granted again. He just had to get her restored and then he could worship every perfect day he had with her.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**A/N:** _Anyone waiting on an Emily chapter... gonna have to wait =P But it's coming! Promise! More soon!_


	14. Forgiving All

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, depressingly, absolutely nothing is mine but the plot, now that is ALL mine! ;)**

**A/N:**_Time to tie up _some_ loose ends..._

_Sorry for the lack of replies! Really not had the time... but THANK YOU for the support and I appreciate beyond anything that I can ever tell you! =) _

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

It was a couple of days later that Strauss requested the entire team to report to her, issue her with an account of what had happened, find out what type of leave Penelope was going to need and in turn praise them for the their swift work. Applaud Derek for his professionalism and issue gratitude to the team for proving her wrong after years.

Penelope had made Derek take his mom home so she could get freshened up and eat something proper, and then and only then could she come back. Penelope claimed she was okay, that she was fine to be alone for a couple of hours, she was exhausted still so she knew the likelihood was that she would sleep most of it.

However, what she found she was doing was curled on her side, a pillow to her chest, helping her ignore the long white plaster stuck down over the cut, her cast bound leg belt and laying over her other leg, the tightness felt on the plaster on her thigh and she just stared out of the window at the blue sky.

Noticing a new presence in the room Penelope turned and sat up, her heart race picking up speed, she knew it wasn't Fran or any of the team and who was there shocked her more than anyone at that moment.

"Kevin?" She asked, her voice dry from lack of use and she coughed to clear it, "What are you doing here?"

He watched her struggling and stepped in closer, willing to help her.

"It's okay, I've got it," She told him and put the pillow behind her and just slumped back, placing the sheet over her but she knew he'd stood shocked at the damage. She looked up into his eyes, slightly confused at why he was here but she sighed, "I guess I owe you a thank you." She added on and looked at him, giving a small smile, "Thank you for helping them find me." Her tone dipped a bit then, her gaze dropping some, "If you hadn't then I probably wouldn't have gotten out of there alive." She then looked at him, her stare burning into him, "So thank you Kevin."

"I didn't come here for thanks, Penelope," He told her as he put a bouquet of her favourite flowers down on the table at the end of her bed. "I came to apologise for everything. For the torment I gave you, you never deserved any of that and I can tell Morgan makes you really happy. I was in no place to try and destroy that."

"I just don't understand why," Penelope started her tone showing her hurt and upset over the matter and she scratched her head, "I don't get why you turned. We both called it quits, not you, or me, but both of us."

"I was jealous." Kevin admitted shamefully, "I knew I was never going to be the man you wanted to marry and after we split you started hanging around with Morgan more and more and you had someone."

"And you had no one?" Penelope assumed, watching Kevin nod slowly she felt bad, she even felt guilty, "I'm sorry for that."

"Don't be, you've always had Morgan, it was a given and I should've never forgotten that he was a permanent in your life." Kevin then looked at her, a small smile slowly growing bigger and bigger. "But I'm glad they found you in time, Pen, really I am, I'm really happy you didn't die."

"You and me both, Kevin." Penelope told him and she shifted onto her side to get comfortable, "Wanna bust me out?"

Kevin laughed, "I'm going to say no. Morgan nearly killed me when you went missing; I'm not running the risk again by busting you out against the doctor's orders." He saw Penelope look at him in disbelief at his comment about Derek and he felt nervous. "I kinder didn't rush into work when Agent Hotchner called me first of."

"Right..."

"And well I carried on watching TV, then Morgan was at my door, then I was against a wall by my throat and then I was at BAU working double time to redeem myself. If I'd just gone in when he called you probably wouldn't be here, we would've found out what we did quicker."

"Kevin let me stop you there, please," Penelope said somewhat exasperated and just relaxed back, "I really cannot tolerate blame games right now, I barely have strength to move myself, let alone listening to you twittering on and on about what you could have done. I got out and what was in the past is well in the past."

"Why are you so forgiving?"

"You're a long time dead Kevin," Penelope told him honestly and gave him a small smile. "I got lucky that day, it might not seem like it, but I watched as two of those girls died, that's never going to leave me and I'm just thankful this is all I have." She told him as she put a hand to her chest. "Just if you go back on your apology and wreak any havoc in my life then I will delete you."

Kevin laughed, "I expect that," He admitted coyly, "I'm going to go back to work, but rest up Penelope, it's not the same without you." He then left, but he missed the small smile that crept onto her face at the new turn of events.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope was still waiting on Derek or Fran or anyone to turn up, she'd slept, at least a little, and now she was wasting her time watching mindless TV that she only ever got to watch when there was a breather between cases or she was ill.

Yet even with the TV on she was still left with her own thoughts and nothing could save her from the moments that Owen had her paralysed and vulnerable to his need for perfection. Even she couldn't forget the discomfort of the tube being put in her throat or the IV that still sat in her neck or even the pain test or worse; no one could shift the searing pain as the scalpel ran down her chest.

That was something that was going to take time to go but she refused to let it swallow her, she refused to be a victim of Owen, not when she had a support system around her, not when she had Derek holding her life together. She refused to lose herself completely in what had happened.

She just realised she was up for a struggle in the mean time.

Sighing, she gave up on the TV, becoming slightly bored with it now; she threw the control down the bed and put her hands over her eyes, now she was lonely.

"Fancy some company?" Came a voice she hadn't heard in days and watched as Claire walked in warily, a smile on her face. "I've missed you."

Penelope smiled brightly, "I've missed you too," She said and hugged her, both issuing gentle hugs to the other. "You're finally allowed up?"

"I'm a doctor too, I fought back," She told him as she gently fell into the chair by the bed, "How you doing?" She asked warily eying up the white plaster on Penelope's chest, "Is that where..."

"He tried to make me a heartless corpse?" She asked, attempting to make light of the situation, and nodded, "Yup, that's the one." Penelope told her and smiled at Claire, "I'm so glad you're okay."

"Same for you, I was terrified when he closed the door and we could hear you telling him to not do it." Claire dropped her gaze some, as though the memory was too heavy and hurtful. "We heard that you were in pain and we just couldn't do a thing."

"It's okay, Claire, honestly..."

"Now it is," Claire replied sadly, "But it wasn't and that was the killer part of it." Claire continued and then smiled sadly, "And when they got us out, someone picked me up to get me out to an ambulance and I saw you, and I saw who I could only assume was Derek standing over you, and..." She stilled herself, her medical knowledge taking rapid control, "No one should be awake like that."

Penelope blinked away the tears, "To be honest, I was more scared with Derek there than I was when Owen started it all." She looked Claire in the eyes, "I was more scared that I couldn't really feel Derek holding my hand, the one thing I needed was the one thing I couldn't get."

Claire leant forward and took Penelope's hand, "It's going to okay now, you know that don't you?"

"I do," Penelope told her, "In my head I do know that, but occasionally my mind goes for a wonder and I wonder if it will be."

"You've got me now to help." Claire admitted to her, offering her hand a slight squeeze.

Penelope smiled, "I do, and the same goes for you too." She told her and turned her hand so she was holding it in hers, she gave it a reassuring shake before releasing it.

"Not interrupting am I?" Came Derek's deep voice from the doorway.

Penelope's mood lightened and she smiled, "Never Handsome." She told him and he came to the other side of the bed and kissed her, "Derek have you met Claire?" She asked and then introduced the pair to one another. "Why are you here?"

Derek sat on the bed, facing Penelope, "Now should I be hurt by that, Baby Girl?" He pouted at her.

Penelope laughed a little, "No, but I was thinking I would be seeing Mom before you." She persisted, "Plus you know how the sight of you brightens my day."

"Wow you two are well suited." Claire commented with a smile, "Remind me to send Craig to you for love lessons."

Penelope giggled, "Hot Stuff?"

"What's up Sweetness?" Derek asked as he brushed hair out of her face, making sure she was looked okay, worrying about her inwardly still.

"Kevin was here." She told him, "He came to apologise... for everything." She then pointed to the flowers on the table.

Derek smirked, "and all I had to do was nearly kill him."

Claire watched Derek, comparing her relationship with these two, "Should that comment worry me?"

"He's only like that when it comes to my wellbeing," Penelope told her with a smile, "I have to keep him on a leash most days." She teased and turned back to Derek, "Now, how about you go and use that charming smile and amazing sweet talk and get me some discharge papers."

"They won't let you go until the IV in your necks out," Claire told her honestly, "Need to make sure there's no damage there." She watched Penelope's defeated look and put her hands up, "Shouldn't have made friends with a doctor."

"I'll remember that next time I'm a captive to some crazy man." Penelope joked and smiled, "So when do I get to meet your man?"

"When he comes to make me get back into bed." Claire joked and then looked down, nervous all of a sudden, she cleared her throat and then looked up at Penelope. "We've been invited to the funerals you know?"

"I know," Penelope relented to tell her, "I think we need to go."

Without another work, a knock came from the door and everyone looked at a sandy blonde hair man, "Babe we need to get you back to bed," he told her with a smile, he looked at Penelope, "I'm guessing you're Penelope?" Penelope nodded and got introduced before watching Claire get helped up and lead to the door.

"One thing Penelope," She said turning to face her, "Did you tell him?"

"I'm engaged now, does that answer you?" Penelope asked her with a bright smile.

Claire laughed, "Good thing I knew I wasn't doing your dirty work really," She told her and let Craig lead her from the room.

"What promise would this be?" Derek said as he kicked his boots off, grabbing the control for the TV and got ready to lay down with her.

Once Penelope was in his arms she put her hand to his chest and looked up into his brown eyes, "To tell you how much I love you."

"Oh we sure did that," He told her and kissed her gently, kissing away some more of the bad memories for her.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**


	15. Survivor

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, depressingly, absolutely nothing is mine but the plot, now that is ALL mine! ;)**

**A/N:**_Penultimate chapter guys! Again sorry for lack of replies, run off my feet with work, (NOW THE EPISODE!) but enjoy and remember it's appreciated! =)_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Seeing four faces coming in that she expected made her mood immediately sky rocketed, yet seeing the fifth one that was hidden behind them her mood was set in stone as being good throughout the rest of the day. JJ was there, at the back of them all, Henry in her arms and all she could do was smile before crying and pushing passed she went over to the bed, ignorant of Derek and his mom.

"I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner, Garcie," She said as he sat Henry and then gave Penelope a one handed hug, "I'm so sorry."

Penelope hugged her back as easy as she could and smiled, "You're here now, it's fine Sweetie."

"But you're not." She fretted as she stood up straight, her face paled with worry, her blue eyes glistening with tears, her glance studying Penelope's current physical state. "I mean look at you."

"I'm fine, honest." Penelope replied honestly and relaxed back into her pillow. "Day to day." She confirmed as she saw the look of doubt on her friend's face. "Really Jayje, I'm fine."

JJ nodded, not quite knowing what to say or do at that moment. She didn't want Penelope to be overwhelmed, but she didn't want her to feel like she wasn't trying her hardest. However, from the look Penelope was giving her she knew she was doing just fine and for that her heart race settled and her nerves began to disperse.

"So, what did I do to have the honour of having all my superheroes?" Penelope asked as watched them all take a seat wherever they could find room.

Hotch cleared his throat, looking to Rossi before proceeding. "Davies is pleading insanity." He started and saw Penelope's body tense, her eyes clouded with fear instantly. "He failed gracefully with the psychiatric evaluation. He's been listed as mentally unstable."

"Doesn't that affect his sentencing though?" Penelope fretted, "I mean, doesn't that mean he'll get a shorter sentence." She began to worry, her mind casting forward to the day Owen Davies would work a free man.

Rossi saw her distress, "Penelope, he won't be getting out in this lifetime." He told her calmly, "If he's not in a jail cell, he'll be in a padded one."

"Are you sure?" She asked meekly.

"Positive," Rossi and Hotch said together.

Hotch said forward in his seat, "The evidence was too much to get him any amount of bail anyway, and the fact that he was caught in the act meant that his fate was sealed officially. When he broke and confessed that was the final nail in the coffin."

Penelope nodded and looked down at her hands, she saw the bruising and for a moment transported back into that room. The bright airy hospital room was replaced with the green one, her eyes were looking into Davies again as he explained what was going to happened and then as the fear began to rumble through her Derek's voice penetrated it and she snapped her head up to look at him.

"Where'd you go, Baby Girl?" He asked her gently, "You zoned out on us there for a moment or two."

"Sorry," she whispered back.

"Flashbacks are healthy," Reid dropped in cautiously and everyone looked at him. "They're the mind processing the events cognitively. Usually talking about them helps ease the memories and makes them more manageable."

Penelope shook her head, "You do not want to know, believe me." She told them, her voice small and weary.

"Try us," Emily told her with a smile. "We're here to help and you know you can trust us."

Derek leant in and took Penelope's hand and when she looked at him, he smiled, "You tell us what you just saw and then we can leave it be. You tell us as and when they come and nothing else okay?" He asked her and she nodded. "We're here to help you, P."

Penelope nodded, sucked a deep breath and looked at the back of her hand. "The bruise on my right hand..." She started, pointing it out, "H-He tried to put the IV in but didn't get my vein to show first, he just tried ov-over and over to get it to go in right." She let a tear slip out but didn't care, "I can still remember the smell of the room, I can still hear the others in the other room and I can still him talking about what he had in store. H-He w-was so calm about it all."

"He was professional, and he believed he was doing something good." Rossi spoke up, "Kitten, what he did was right in his eyes. I know it's hard, but you're a survivor, as are the others."

"I don't feel like it," She said and broke down and within the first sob and the next, Derek was up and hugging her tightly. Acting as her pillar, not leaving her to sob alone on the bed as though she was a show for them to watch.

"It'll take time, Penelope, but really you are a strong survivor. Even Davies noticed it." Hotch added in gently, "That's why he changed his routine, he knew that he had to break you and he didn't. It wasn't just you on your own that did that, he knew from watching us lot that he had picked someone wrong."

"He preyed on the weak and he realised that by adding you to the bunch gave the women hope." Emily pointed out, "Being who you are, personally and professionally, meant that Owen had to work faster and the pressure made him crack before he was ready."

Derek still held her as she finally calmed some. "See you're a survivor, Baby Girl." He told her gently. "Just one with war wounds."

Penelope looked up, and having Derek say it to her with the vast agreement from the others settled it in her minds.

She was a survivor with war wounds.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Later that evening, as they were all leaving, Fran going with them, Derek sticking firmly by her bedside, Penelope called Emily back and asked to be alone with her. She hadn't really had a chance to talk to her long enough to see how she was and she was done with the waiting.

Making her climb onto the bed, the two women lay side by side for a moment in silence before Penelope laid her head to Emily's shoulder and smiled.

"How's the head, EP?" She asked curiously. "I noticed walls aren't your friends, Honey."

Emily laughed a little, "How do you do it?"

"Do what?" Penelope asked curiously and then moved to look at her questioningly.

"Be you after it all that's happened?"

Penelope smiled, "Simple, I'm a survivor." Penelope repeated the words she was told only hours earlier and for once since hearing them, she believed she was. Sitting there finally getting some time with Emily she knew everything was going to be okay. "I'm sorry I never did anything to help you that night."

"I should be the one apologising PG, not you. I'm the agent."

"And I'm still a friend." Penelope told her, her tone somewhat full with regret. "I just saw him and I froze because I knew him, and my brain wouldn't do what it was supposed to. It should've told my legs to run, but it didn't and I just stood there as he came at me and..."

Emily took her hand in hers, "It's okay, we could be here a long time with this battle but the main thing is that we're both here. Both safe, both okay."

Penelope smiled at that, "It's good to know that that bump to the head didn't do anything to take you ability to calm thing down." Penelope responded somewhat thankful. "Now I know why I keep you around."

"Hey!" Emily spoke up, "Well if that's the case I'll tell you now that I only keep you around for comedy value." She joked back and Penelope laughed.

"Ah, see my wise cracks are good for something after all."

Emily looked at Penelope then and smiled, "These last couple of days without hearing them have been almost like torture." She admitted quietly.

Penelope smiled, "Let me rectify that then shall I, my Pretty?" Penelope asked her and she nodded. "I get those heavenly papers out of here in a couple of days and according to my hunk of burning love, I'm going to need babysitting."

"I'm the girl for the job." Emily perked up, "Plus we still have to set Reid up with someone." Emily added on the end.

"Well I think I've found a girl." Penelope dropped in casually as she put her hand up and twiddled with her engagement ring coolly.

"Oh yeah?" Emily queried, she could only think of one of the girls that had been taken, no one else struck up in her mind.

Penelope looked at her queerly, "You, my little gum drop." She told her seriously and she saw Emily's face flash with shock, and flood with embarrassment. "Oh please don't tell me you don't feel something! I had a lot of thinking time to mull over such matters and well it's evident... you always get slightly jealous and a bit withdrawn with the idea of setting him up and you always sit with one another..."

"Pen..." Emily stopped her.

"It'll happen," Penelope said as settled, closing her eyes as she finally tired, "And believe me, I have a good couple of weeks to make up the master plan if you don't take the jump into the deep end."

"What did I do to get this treatment?"

"Befriend an Oracle that what's." Penelope finalised and remained silent and just got comfortable.

Emily lay there and knew she couldn't argue with Penelope so all she could do was leave or get comfortable and she knew she wasn't ready to leave just at that moment so she got comfortable and settled next to Penelope.

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**A/N:** _Nice be of Emily and Pen... right before the episode tonight! Now let's go watch eh? =P_


	16. Between Two Lungs

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, depressingly, absolutely nothing is mine but the plot, now that is ALL mine! ;)**

**A/N:**_Last chapter guys, thank you for all the reviews, favourites, and alerts =) It has been all appreciated and loved so much!_

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope sighed as she lay against Derek's side on the couch. For once since being taken she felt completely relaxed and as though she was where she needed to be, mentally and physically. She ran her hand down Derek's thigh as she used it to stable herself to get up.

"Where you going, woman?" Derek asked exhaustedly as he turned his head to look at her, her face completely smothered with innocence.

"I need to go to the loo, I'm not completely incapable, doc said so this morning." She told him truthfully and smiled at him. "Just go back to sleep, I've got this."

"I don't want you to have this," He replied to her as he sat up, waking up quickly. He ran a hand up her back, "I was there with the doc too, Beautiful," He told her sternly. "So let me at least help you until we have you back on the straight and narrow completely."

Penelope was too tired to argue with him but she wanted him to rest up, he had been so driven since getting her back, and she was only told how on edge he was while she was missing that he was now exhausted from it all. After getting her back the only he had to keep himself up for was to watch her sleep and know that she had come back to him.

"Pen, just let me worry for a little while longer okay?" He requested as he stood up and in front of her, "Please?"

She couldn't fault his timing, she was struggling more than she wanted to admit to and she could see that he needed this, just a little bit of extra helping to ease his mind. She relented, her shoulders slumping and she let her hands go up to meet his and he helped her stand up swiftly and gently.

"See, much easier right?" He asked her as her arm ran over her back and held onto her shoulder.

"Right," She quickly agreed as she started to hop towards the door, but then Derek just scooped her up in his effortless manner. "Oh," Penelope sounded and put her free hand to his chest, "Bit late to carry me over thresholds now we're in the house, Handsome."

Derek chuckled, "Call it practise for when our big day comes about."

"Mmm, I really do look forward to that day." Penelope mused and kissed his jaw line and then relaxed as he walked through the house steadily holding her in his arms. "Pen and Derek kissing in the tree..." She began to whisper before stopping herself as he began to lower her to the floor. "You know, if back in High School it was you those mean girls used to sing that about, instead of some weird snotty geek then I would've joined in."

"Never know, Sweetness, school reunions happen for the rest of our lives." He teased her and pushed the door to their bathroom open, allowing her the independence to hobble in the best she could. "We could make a go of it and really show those _mean _girls what happened to you."

Penelope smiled brightly, "Show them that I got the best of the best."

"Na uh Princess," Derek said, "Show them _I_ got the best." He told her truthfully because if Davies did anything, he proved that no one else was going to be what Penelope was to him. She was his life, was, as cliché as it was, the air he breathed and he was the beating between his lungs.

He knew that if Davies had succeeded then it wouldn't have been Penelope's heart he had taken, it would've been his because from the first day they had only lived with the others heart.

"Right I'm gonna get the bed ready, you okay in here?" He asked her, his smile small, "I mean the mischief you make on your own..."

Penelope threw a towel at him, "Go!" She told him strongly amused, "Gotta learn one way or another."

Derek could only agree and then left her alone to do what she needed in the bathroom and he went into the bedroom. It was the first time he had gotten near this place since that morning, after waking up from yet another nightmare he had decided sleep wasn't happening and had made his way to the hospital.

His nights were only empty of nightmares when Penelope was around him. Last night's had been the worst, instead of saving her just in the nick of time, they had made it when her chest was split wide open and her heart was pumping away in her opened chest and he could still see her eyes, wide with knowing, fear stricken and panicking as each new beat showed so visibly.

Then he had woken up in a cold sweat and all he could do was get to Penelope, to know that she was safe and on the road to recovery.

"Halting the process are we?" Came a voice from behind him and turned to see Penelope's smiling face. She watched him step in the way of the half made bed, "Busted Buddy," she whispered and hobbled towards him, putting her hands to his shoulders. "I'm here, I'm always gonna be here and, Handsome, fair warning, I'm going to be annoying your lovely sweet tosh until we're extremely old and passed it."

Derek grinned, "I can't think of anything better." He said as he slipping his arms around her waist and stabled her against him. "You know how much I love you right?"

"Everyday I'm alive and breathing," She answered him precisely. "It's moments like this that keep me alive. Moments that are just perfect and calm and drama free. They're the ones I love for the most." She mused softly, her lips holding a soft smile. "There is nowhere else I ever need to be."

"Except for in bed," Derek whispered softly back at her and grinned cheekily at her.

"Okay, and there," She admitted with a smile and she allowed him to have his moment of independence again and get her into bed. "You better be coming with me."

"I gotta sort Clooney and then I'll be all yours," He said and kissed her as he pulled the sheet over her and tucking her in comfortably. "That I can promise you."

"Good," Penelope replied to him, "I really want a proper Derek Morgan hug."

"All yours soon, Baby." He replied and gave her another kiss on the lips, before planting one on her forehead and then leaving her to get to sleep. Rushing back he found her sound asleep and all he did was undress and slip in beside her, claiming her in his arms as she moved to join him.

Penelope snuggled down into Derek's side, still remaining half asleep; "He might have wanted my heart but really," Penelope paused, making the moment build, "He couldn't have had it when it's always been here with you."

Derek smiled at her, "That's one heart that'll forever keep safe."

"And one you don't have to cut me open to get." Penelope finally said as she let the sleep begin to cascade into her system. "I have no idea what you did Derek Morgan but I will forever love you."

Derek smiled, kissed into her hair and felt her breath against his bare chest, "I don't know what I did to ever have you love me, Baby Girl, but it's not something I ever want to live without."

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**The End**

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Between Two Lungs -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**A/N:** _There you go... a happily ever after, after all that creepiness! =)_


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